Glass H b4Z2. 

Book_^M55b 



GPO 




REPORT 



THE SYSTEM OF 



MEGPUNNAISM, 



THE MURDER OF INDIGENT PARENTS FOR THEIR YOUNG CHIL- 
DREN (WHO ARE SOLD AS SLAVES) AS IT PREVAILS IN 
THE DELHIE TERRITORIES, AND THE NATIVE 
STATES OF RAJPOOTANA, ULWAR 
AND BHURTPORE. 

By Major W. H. SLEEMAN. 



FROM THE SERAMPORE PRESS. 



1839. 



INDEX. 



Page. 



1. Introduction, 1 

2. Substance of Conversations with some members of the 

gangs held by Lieutenant Charles Mills, 17 

3. A brief account of some of the most prominent cases 

that have come to our knowledge. 

1. Jhujjur Affair. Murder of a man, his wife, and 
infant child, with her sister and her grown up son, 
for the sake of two girls, December, 1837, 25 

2. Murder of three men and two women at Delhie, 
November, 1833, 40 

3. Murder of a man, his wife, and his son, the hus- 
band of Rookmanee, near Delhie, October, 1833, 44 

4. Murder of two men and two women on the Jumna 
near Gokula, in February, 1835, and theft of their 
seven children, 48 

5. Thunaiseir Affair. Murder of nine persons and 
theft of nine children, 55 

6. Murder of a man and wife at Khajpore on the 
Jumna, October, 1834, and theft of four children, 59 

7. Murder of two widows, and theft of three girls 
and a boy, October, 1834, 60 

8. Murder of a man, his wife, and their son, and 
theft of their two daughters, December, 1833, near 
Furruknuggur, , ••»•••• « 61 



iv 



INDEX. 



Page. 

9. Murder of a man and his wife, and theft of their 
two daughters near Sheergurh, 1831. Children sold 
to Surbolundkha ; soon after another man and his 
wife murdered, and their two children stolen, ... 62 

10. Murder of a Brahmin and his wife, and theft of 
their two children near Sohunput, January, 1838, 64 

11. Murder of a man, his wife, and son, and theft of 
two children near Furruknuggur, 1830. Children 



sold to Alee Khan Russaldar, 65 

4. Depositions of some members of the gangs. 

1. Of Khema Jemadar, the founder of the system, 65 

2. Of Gopaul his son, 73 

3. Of Geean Dass, 81 

4. Of Mahakoor, alias Radha, 85 

5. OfHurree Sing, 89 

6. OfSaligram, 103 



5. List of the members of the gangs of Megpunnas still at 
large as far as they have as yet become known to us,... 106 



INTRODUCTION. 



India is a strange land, and live in it as long as we may, and 
mix with its people as much as we please, we shall to the last be 
constantly liable to stumble upon new moral phenomena to ex- 
cite our " special wonder." Delhie, the great capital of the 
Mahommudan emperors, is still a large and populous city, the 
residence of the imperial family, and one of the principal seats 
of our civil and military establishments: Meerut two or three 
stages to the east, Muthura four stages to the south, and Kur- 
naul four stages to the north, are three of our largest, most fa- 
shionable and most delightful military stations. The country 
around these stations and this great city is among the best peo- 
pled and cultivated parts of our eastern dominions; and yet in 
this, which may be considered the garden of India, has the hide- 
ous system which I am about to describe been practised for the 
last ten years unknown to, and, as a system, unsuspected by, 
any of the Europeans that have visited or resided in it. 

When the murders described in case No. 2 were reported to 
Mr. D. F. McLeod of the Bengal Civil Service, then employ- 
ed in my department, and to myself, by Hurnath Sing the To- 
mundar, we did all we could to get those who might be sentenc- 
ed to imprisonment, and those who might be admitted as 



2 



King's evidences, made over to us for employment; but we were 
told, that the former must undergo their sentence in the Del- 
hie jail, and that the latter must be unconditionally released. 
It had been a rule with us to promise nothing to offenders 
whose evidence we required but exemption from the punish- 
ments of death and transportation beyond seas. We hoped that 
the evidence of these men might have been obtained upon the 
same terms, and we suspected that the perpetrators of these mur- 
ders belonged to a class of robbers and assassins who infested 
the Rajpootana states and other parts of India in the disguise of 
religious mendicants. Had we succeeded at that time in secur- 
ing the services of the men we required we should, no doubt, 
have been enabled to expose the proceedings of those gangs 
much earlier; but I am disposed to think that the delay has 
been useful, in as much as it has improved our chance of sup- 
pressing the system entirely, and at an early period. The 
proof we have of the murders perpetrated by them since that 
time is perhaps better than any we might have found of the mur- 
ders they had perpetrated before; and our own system of opera- 
tions for the suppression of such crimes has become better un- 
derstood and appreciated; and our proceedings are now more 
likely to inspire confidence in those to whose judgement they 
must be finally submitted than they would have been then. 
Here, perhaps, as on all other occasions providence has been 
working for us. 

It was not till after Lieutenant Mills had investigated the 
case No. 1, which had been made over to him by Mr. Met- 
calfe, the Commissioner in the Delhie territories, that we dis- 
covered the numbers of these gangs, and the dreadful extent of 
their depredations. The information which he acquired in this 
case has enabled him since to pursue and apprehend several 
other gangs, with some of their principal leaders, and the great 
founder of this system of murdering parents for the sake of their 
children, Kheama Jemadar. As among the ordinary Thug asso- 



3 



ciations, the leaders and most influential members of the gangs 
have manifested, as soon as taken, a strong disposition to acknow- 
ledge their transgressions, because they know that their charac- 
ters and proceedings have been already fully recorded in our of- 
fices, and that we shall have proof abundantly sufficient for their 
final conviction without their own confessions. They make a 
virtue of necessity, and try to show that they are better inform- 
ed and can be more useful than any that have been admitted as 
King's evidences before them, in the hope, that we may extend 
to them also the promise of exemption from the heavier penal- 
ties of the law which they know they have incurred by the more 
prominent part that they have taken in all the murders perpe- 
trated by their gangs. 

Some of the principal leaders and members of these gangs 
seem to have acquired from the Mooltanies, one of the original 
clans of Delhie thugs, the notion, that the Goddess Kallee would 
willingly become the patroness of this as of the other systems of 
murder, and a portion of the slang language used in their opera- 
tions. But under such a system of religion as that of the Hindoos 
men easily persuade themselves, that any course of life to which 
they are strongly tempted by the hope of gain, and by the as- 
surance of impunity from social and municipal laws, may be 
made acceptable to such a goddess by suitable offerings to her- 
self or to her priests. The greater part of the gangs by whom 
this system of murder, denominated by them Megpunna, is fol- 
lowed, seem to have assumed the guise of religious mendicants; 
and the great founder of their system, Kheama, was consider- 
ed so holy a man by all the people of the villages in the neigh- 
bourhood of his camp in the Alwar state, that after the arrest 
of himself and his gang by Lieutenant Mills' party, he was en- 
treated to extinguish a fire that had broken out in one of themj 
and by a singular coincidence, the fire ceased as his hands were 
extended towards heaven in prayer for them. 



A2 



4 



There seems good ground to believe that the system began 
with the siege of Bhurtpore in the year 1826. Parents had, no 
doubt, long before this been occasionally murdered for the sake 
of their young children in that and in every other part of India 
where children are allowed to be bought and sold; but we have 
no reason to believe that^there was, before that time, any gang 
in that or in any other part of India, that followed this system 
of murdering indigent and helpless parents for the sake of their 
children, as an exclusive trade. We have reason to believe that 
it has not yet extended beyond the upper Dooab, the Delhie 
territories and the Rajpootana and Alwar states ; and the able 
and successful exertions of Lieutenant Mills have given me 
reason to hope, that we shall very soon, if well supported and 
assisted by the local authorities, be able to suppress the system 
where it has prevailed, and effectually prevent its spreading to 
other parts. It will be seen that these gangs always select for 
their victims the parents and grown up children of distressed 
families who have been driven to emigration by famine or do- 
mestic misfortunes. Brinjaras who, all over India, trade in 
children that have been stolen from their parents ; and prosti- 
tutes, who purchase those that are good looking wherever they 
can get them, will give more for those whose parents are certified 
to be dead than for any others, because they have less apprehen- 
sion of such children ever absconding in search of them, or be- 
ing reclaimed by them. In seasons of great and general cala- 
mity, like those by which upper India has been for some years 
past afflicted, great numbers of the most respectable families of 
all casts have been reduced to indigence, and obliged to emi- 
grate ; and the children of parents of this description, who have 
been taken great care of and sheltered from the sun, and who 
are, in consequence, commonly very fair, are those most sought 
after by these murderers. 

In such seasons of calamity the permission to purchase and 
sell children saves, no doubt, a great number from starvation ; 



5 



but as such seasons happily even in India return after long in- 
tervals, and as this permission is liable to foster such horrible 
crimes as are here exposed, it had perhaps better be withheld 
altogether. It is, I believe, understood where such purchases of 
children are permitted, that when they reach the age of matu- 
rity they shall be free to go where they please; but who shall 
say into what hands or into what country such children shall 
be transferred before that time comes. If Hindoos, they must 
become outcasts in their own religion; and in nine cases in ten 
they become, I believe, Mussulmans in order to secure a recog- 
nition of civil and social rights in some circles of society above 
the very lowest. Lieutenant Mills, in his letter of the 15th Oc- 
tober 1838, states, "This system of murdering indigent parents 
66 for their children has been flourishing since the siege of Bhurt- 
"pore in 1826, and the cause of their confining their depreda- 
" tions to this class of people seems to have been, the great de- 
" mand they found for these children in all parts of the country, 
" and the facility with which they inveigled their parents into 
" their society. They were in the habit of disposing of the fe- 
" male children thus obtained for very large sums to respectable 
" natives, or to the prostitutes of the different cities they visited; 
" and they found this system more lucrative than that of mur- 
"dering travellers in good circumstances; and less likely to be 
"brought to the notice of the local authorities, as enquiries 
" were seldom made after the victims by their surviving rela- 
« tions." 

" These gangs, contrary to the customs of those whose pro- 
" ceedings are now so well known to us, invariably take their 
" families with them on their expeditions; and the female mem- 
" bers of the gangs are generally employed as inveiglers to win 
" the confidence of the emigrant families they fall in with on 
" the road. They introduce these families to the gang, and they 
" are prevailed upon to accompany them to some place suitable 
" for their designs upon them, where the parents are murdered 



6 



" by the men, while the women take care of the children. After 
" throwing their bodies into the river or otherwise disposing of 
" them, the men return to their women in the camp; and when 
w the children enquire after their parents, they are told, that 
" they have sold them to certain members of the gang and de- 
" parted. If they appear to doubt the truth of these assertions 
" they are deterred from further enquiries by a threat of instant 
" death. They are allowed to associate freely with the fami- 
"lies of the murderers; and in a few days their grief subsides, 
u and they become reconciled to their fate. The female chil- 
u dren are either adopted by members of the gang, or sent in 
" charge of the women to be disposed of. They find a ready 
" sale for them among the Brinjaras, many of whom are con- 
" nected with these gangs in their murderous trade, and all of 
" them are well known in upper India to traffick in children. 
" These Brinjaras resell the children to the prostitutes of the 
" different cities, who soon become acquainted with the fate of 
" their parents; and are much pleased to learn it, as it relieves 
" them of all apprehension that they will ever come to reclaim 
" them." 

" The numerical strength of these Megpunna gangs as far as 
" I can yet learn are between three and four hundred persons 
"over and above what I have already secured; and many of 
" them have living with them the unhappy orphans of respect- 
" able parents whom they^murdered. I fear, however, that the 
" gangs will hereafter be found more numerous, though I have 
" here given the names and descriptive rolls of all who are known 
" to those whom I have as yet admitted as approvers. Indeed, I 
" am disposed to think that the greater part of the Hindoo Brin- 
" jara tribes practice this system of murder; but I am not at 
" present in possession of sufficient evidence to authorise the ap- 
" prehension of any. The conviction of these gangs for specific 
" acts of murder is attended with considerable difficulty from 
" their practice of throwing the bodies of their victims into the 



7 



" rivers, near which they are commonly murdered ; and from the 
" obstacles we find in tracing and recovering the children who 
" have become inmates in the Zenanas of respectable people, or 
" the establishments of common prostitutes, who all consider 
"themselves justified in the purchase of them.* They are so, I 
" fear, from the existing regulations — at least the purchase has 
€C not hitherto been considered a crime, particularly during the 
" late famine when hundreds of children were bought and sold 
« daily." 

Lieutenant Mills had great difficulty in recovering the chil- 
dren taken in the Thunaiseir affair described in case No. 5. 66 1 
" had, he says, many obstacles to contend with in collecting the 
" evidence for this case, owing to the children having been sold 
Cf to the prostitutes of Kurnaul, who were perfectly well acquaint- 
" ed with the fate of their parents, while the traffick in children 
ec has been in a measure countenanced by the local authorities. 
" The purchasers were of course most unwilling to deliver them 
" up. Indeed, I was most reluctantly compelled to promise that 
" they should be exempted from punishment, and that the chil- 
(C dren should be returned to them after the trial, ere I could sue- 
" ceed in recovering any of them. The Magistrate of the dis- 
" trict refused to allow my people to search for these children 
"unless I furnished him with proof of their exact residence, 
" which was out of my power, in consequence of the length of 
" time that had elapsed since the murder of their parents. I sent 
" one of my native officers on this duty, and he failed in reco- 
" vering any of the orphans, and told me that they had certainly 
" all been made away with. I was, however, so satisfied of the 
" correctness of my approver's statements, that I sent my Sherish- 
" tadar (Judicial Officer) with instructions to spare neither trou- 
" bie nor expense in his efforts to recover some of the children, 
" and after two month's exertions, he succeeded in getting eight 

• When the children are found they are often too young to be admitted as com- 
petent evidences at the trial. 



s 



" of them ; and they gave me all the particulars of the murder 
" of their parents , and most satisfactorily recognized the greater 
" part of the gang." 

That our government has defects, must be obvious to every 
one who has travelled much over India with the requisite quali- 
fications and dispositions to observe and judge ; but I believe 
that life, property and character are more secure, and all their 
advantages are more freely enjoyed now than under any former 
government of this country with whose history we are acquaint- 
ed ; and few men have travelled more over the country, read 
more of its history, mixed more unreservedly with the people of 
all classes, or observed more of the effects of our administration 
and those of native states upon their welfare and happiness than 
I have. I believe also that life, property and character are at the 
present time less secure in the territories of the independant 
native chiefs of the country than they are in our own. What 
seems to me now most wanting to improve that security, is the 
interposition of some authority between the Thanadars, or head 
police officers of small divisions of territory, and the Magistrate ; 
and an increased rate of salary to the Thanadars themselves, and 
to those employed under them. These Thanadars and those un- 
der them are at present so very inadequately paid, that corrup- 
tion among them excites no feelings of odium or indignation in 
the minds of those among whom they live and serve. These 
feelings are rather directed against the government that places 
them in situations of so much labour and responsibility with sa- 
laries so inadequate ; and thereby confers upon them virtually a 
kind of license to pay themselves by preying upon those whom 
they are employed ostensibly to protect. They know that with 
such salaries they can never have the reputation of being ho- 
nest, however faithfully they may discharge their duties ; and 
it is too hard to expect that men will long submit to the neces- 
sity of being considered corrupt without reaping some of the ad- 
vantages of corruption. 



9 



Let the Thanadars have such salaries as will enable them to 
maintain their families in comfort, and keep up that appearance 
of respectability which their stations in society demand, or, say 
one hundred rupees a month; and over every three or four Tha- 
nadar's jurisdictions let there be an officer appointed upon a 
higher scale of salary, to supervise and control their proceedings, 
and submit them for the consideration of the Magistrate. To 
these higher stations the Thanadars will be able in time to look 
forward as their reward for a faithful and zealous discharge of 
their duties. At present our Magistrates are every where over- 
worked from that laborious attention to petty details which ne- 
cessarily arises from their distrust in every thing that is done, 
written, or said by their subordinates. Remove that feeling of 
distrust by giving them subordinate agency of higher character, 
and the work will be much better and much more easily done 
than it has ever yet been in this country. 

There is one great evil which afflicts and always has * afflicted 
the country, and which no government but a very strong one 
could attempt to eradicate. This is the mass of religious men- 
dicants who infest every part of India, and subsist upon the fruits 
of all manner of crime, and upon the fears of the people. They 
none of them depend, or condescend to be supposed to depend, 
upon any feeling of charity for their subsistence — they act open- 
ly and boldly upon the fears of those from whom they demand 
assistance; and they every where deprive the real objects of 
charity of that share of the produce of the land and the labour 
of the country that they require, and would otherwise receive. 
In the time of the Emperor Shah Jehan, some two hundred years 
ago, their numbers were estimated at eight hundred thousand 
Mahommudan Fakeers, and twelve hundred thousand Hindoo 
Byragees, or followers of Vishnoo, and Goosaens, or followers 
of Sewa, and I should think they had increased since very much. 
Tavernier, who had travelled several times over India, observes, 
" The Fakeers are a sort of people that profess a renunciation 

B 



10 



6% of the world, and live upon alms ; but are indeed very rascals. 
" They reckon that there are in India eight hundred thousand of 
" these Mahommudans, and twelve hundred thousand Idolaters.* 
" They are all of them vagabonds and lazy drones; and dazzle 
" the eyes of the people with a false zeal, and make them believe 
" that whatever comes out of their mouth is an oracle."f The 
Hindoo portion of these mendicants are Cheylas (disciples) of 
goroos (high priests,) who are settled at different places of 
great supposed sanctity, where they have temples richly endow- 
ed with lands that they hold rent-free for the use of these temples 
from the government within whose territories they reside. Each 
of these goroos has a number of these disciples whom he sends 
into all parts of India ostensibly to beg, and to visit distant 
shrines in their own and their master's name. They return 
after long intervals, and bring back with them to their high 
priests contributions in money and other valuables that ena- 
ble them often to maintain the appearance and establish- 
ments of princes. Sometimes they remain absent for ten years 
together, or remain and settle in distant provinces, bearing only 
the name of their apostles, to whom they send occasional contri- 
butions, and in return receive the delegated powers of filling up 
vacancies by death and other privileges. The Mahommudan por- 
tion of these mendicants are, in the same manner, disciples of 
the high priests of shrines who send them forth into distant 
countries to beg and bring back contributions; and it was by 
such contributions that Nizam-ood-Deen Ouleea was at Delhie 
enabled to vie with the Emperor Tughluck Shah in the splen- 
dour of his establishments. He was supposed to have the Dustol 
Ghyb, or supernatural purse; but his disciples were perhaps in 
reality the first assassins by profession in India, and the real 
founders of that great system of murder which had taken root 
throughout every quarter of India when our operations began. i 



* Part II. B. ii. Chap. ix. 
f Part II. B. iii. Chap. ii. 



11 



Three-fourths of these religious mendicants, whether Hindoos 
or Mahommudans, rob and steal, and a very great portion of 
them murder their victims before they rob them; but they have 
not any of them as a class been found to follow the trade of 
murder so exclusively as to be brought properly within the scope 
of our operations. In 1833 Mr. McLeod arrested in Malwa, 
Rajpootana, and other parts of Central India several gangs of 
Hindoo mendicants who had been guilty of the most atrocious 
crimes; but in despair of being" able to convict them before any 
of our courts of any specific murder, or to bring them legiti- 
mately under our jurisdiction, we were ultimately obliged to re- 
lease the whole, though satisfied that they were in reality mur- 
derers and robbers. Since that time we have had in our cus- 
tody in different parts of India many gangs of these mendi- 
cants under different denominations who were evidently rob- 
bers, and who frequently murdered their victims before they 
robbed them; but we were obliged to leave them to be dealt 
with by the ordinary Magistrates as common offenders. There 
is hardly any species of crime that is not throughout India per- 
petrated by men in the disguise of these religious mendicants; 
and almost all such mendicants are really men in disguise, for 
Hindoos of any cast can become Byragees and Goosaens; and 
Mahommudans of any grade can become Fakeers. 

In their holy garb they easily prevail upon unwary travellers 
to rest with them in some solitary part of the high road, or in 
some retired bye path into which they have beguiled them from 
the high road; and to smoke with them tobacco or drink milk 
in which they have mixed up dutoora, or some other deleterious 
drug which deprives them of their senses in a few minutes. 
They then rob them, and leave them to die from the poison; or 
strangle them if they happen to be from that part of the coun- 
try in which they wish to reside, that they may not cross their 
path again. Men who follow this system of poisoning as a pro- 
fession are to be found in the disguise of religious mendicants 

B2 



12 



in all parts of India ; and they all pretend to be the disciples of 
high priests of temples of great note and supposed sanctity. 
Great numbers gain their livelihood by worming into the do- 
mestic history of wealthy or respectable families, and for a time 
representing any lost member who happens to have been killed 
in action, or to have died in foreign service. 

The civil and military establishments of the native chiefs are, 
like our own, filled by men whose families reside in distant pro- 
vinces; and hundreds of such people disappear every year with- 
out their families knowing very precisely how, since they have 
no where any register of deaths to refer to. This practice be- 
comes the more easy from the circumstance of so many members 
of decent families every year taking to this vagrant life, either 
from choice or from domestic disputes. The family that has 
lost a member in foreign service after long years of hope com- 
monly clings at last to this, that they may some day see him re- 
turn in the disguise of a religious mendicant. Others continue 
to become the honoured guests of decent families for a season, 
and when about to depart persuade the credulous hostess, during 
the absence of her husband, that they wish, as a return for such 
kind entertainment, to change all her silver into gold! In the 
fond hope of surprising her husband with the sight of unhoped- 
for treasure, she confides to the holy man all her own silver or- 
naments, and all those that she has been able to borrow upon 
one pretence or another from her neighbours. In the last stage 
of the long and mysterious process, by the help of a little le- 
gerdemain the whole seems to have been safely deposited in an 
alembic, which is not on any account to be opened till the ope- 
rator returns from the distant jungle with the indispensable fruit 
or flower that is not to be gathered till the last stage, and then 
only in the dark. After some sleepless nights of expectation 
the poor woman opens her alembic and finds nothing but stones 
or ashes. 



13 



While I was in the civil charge of the district of Jubbulpore 
in the year 1829, a respectable shop-keeper ran out to me one 
morning, as I rode through the town, in a fit of desperation, and 
complained of one of these religious mendicants who was, he 
said, robbing his family of their bread by exacting every day 
more than he could pay. The man was standing at the threshold 
of his door with his head leaning forward, and /the blood trickling 
down over his nose from a cut in his forehead. I had him brought 
to me, and I found upon his cheeks numerous dry unwashed 
channels over which blood had been flowing upon the thresholds 
of other men; and as many gashes upon his forehead as ever 
disfigured the crown of Banquo's ghost. I asked him what he 
had been about ; and he told me, that this was the mode in 
which he gained his bread. "He asked charity at the doors of 
"those who could, he thought, afford to give it; and if they did 
" not attend to his demands, he made a cut in his forehead with 
" a little razor that he held in his hand, and let his blood drop 
" upon their thresholds which generally brought them to their 
" senses. But, said he, the people of this ungodly town are get- 
ting worse and worse every day; and you see to what a state 
" they have reduced me by their obstinacy." He was severely 
punished and turned out of the district; and when people found 
that I was not afraid to bring the curses of these godly people 
upon myself, they exposed all the modes of this system of exac- 
tion of which I had never before heard, though I had been 
nineteen years in India. I learnt that in almost every city in 
India were to be found men of the same kind, and others who 
exacted money by presenting themselves before the doors of 
respectable families with their bodies covered with whatever 
might be considered the most offensive to the senses of the in- 
mates, and there standing and performing whatever acts might 
be considered disgusting, till they got whatever they demanded. 
To get rid of them, and to avoid the effects of their curses, the 
people give them what they demand, and they demand as much 
as they think people can afford to give; and where the police is 



14 



lax, they divide the people of a town as a kind of property 
among themselves, each having his select number to prey upon. 

A strong Government, as I believe ours now to be, may 
without any great risk of offending the great mass of the people, 
or the influential members of society, attack this abominable 
system of religious mendicity root and branch; and by degrees 
eradicate the evil almost entirely. It may attack the root by a 
fiscal Regulation, rendering it incumbent upon every Hindoo 
high priest of a temple, and every Mahommudan high priest 
of a mosque or mausoleum who holds rent-free lands under Go- 
vernment, to recall all his disciples forthwith within the limits 
of the small police jurisdiction within which J:he endowed build- 
ing is situated; and they should all be bound to do this within 
a certain time on pain of forfeiture of their lands. Government 
may attack the branches of the system by a vagrant act, autho- 
rizing Magistrates every where to compel all able bodied im- 
pudent and unseemly religious mendicants to leave their dis- 
tricts, and return to their high priests within a certain number 
of days; and if found within their districts after that time, to con- 
fine them to hard labour for a limited period under a requisi- 
tion of security that they shall immediately leave their districts, 
and never appear in them again. All people will, I believe, be 
pleased with such a measure, it will relieve them from the ne- 
cessity of feeding a mass of drones for whom they have hitherto 
provided merely from a dread of their curses. It is a rule with 
me, whenever I expose an evil, to suggest at the same time if 
possible, the remedy; and I have here suggested that which 
seems to me most likely to be effectual, and the least open to ob- 
jections. 

I should mention that by the exertions of Major Ouseley, who 
has the civil charge of the district of Hoshungabad, on the Ner- 
budda river, and to Colonel Sutherland, the British Resident 
at Gwalior, it has been discovered, that some daring robberies 



15 



which have lately taken place in that district, were perpetrated 
by gangs formed of the disciples of some high priest residing 
in the Gwalior states, some three hundred miles from the scene 
of action to the north, and receiving almost divine honours from 
the country around him. The same gangs extend their depre- 
dations into our districts to the west and north as well as the 
south. It would not, I should think, be^difficult to prevail 
upon the independent native chiefs to join with us in the at- 
tempt; and command all high priests of endowed temples, to 
recall their disciples forthwith on pain of forfeiture of the lands 
they hold rent-free. Such a measure, adopted simultaneously 
by all the native chiefs, would enable our Magistrates with the 
better grace to send " their wanderers home," wherever they 
might find them; £and if those chiefs should, as they probably 
most of them would, be afraid to join with us in attacking the 
branches of the system as well as the roots, they would only have 
to maintain a certain number of mischievous drones that would 
otherwise be sent back upon our districts for subsistence. 

As a preparatory measure, it might be well to request every 
Collector in the country, to ascertain and record the name of 
every disciple belonging to every high priest, whether Hindoo 
or Mahommudan within his Collectorate. The next step would 
be to require, that they should recall within a certain time all 
who might be absent; and allow none that are present to absent 
themselves. The third would be to direct that they should 
adopt no more without special permission from the constituted 
authorities ; and to authorise the Magistrates of districts to pro- 
ceed against all who are found wandering in their obscenity 
and insolence. Thousands and tens of thousands would, under 
the operation of these quiet measures, every year be constrained 
to throw off their garb of pretended sanctity, and to earn their 
bread, like other men, by the sweat of their brow. 



W. H. SLEEMAN. 



SUBSTANCE of a Conversation held by Lieutenant Mills with 
different Thug Approvers of the Megpuna caste. 



Khema, Jemadar, Approver. 
Question. What is your profession? 

Answer. Megpuna, signifying murdering travellers for their 
children, and which was first introduced by the Mooltanee 
Bunjarrahs. 

Q. How many different castes of men and women practice 
this systemVof Thuggee? 

A. Almost all classes of people, viz. 

Rajpoot. 

Bunjarrahs* 

Naek. 

Meena, 

Saprailla, alias Kailbaillee. 
Goojur. 
Chumar. 
Dhanuck. 
Mussulman. 
Q. What is your real caste? 

A. Rajpoot, and for the last forty years I have been a disci- 
ple of Alickram. 

Q. How long has this system of murdering travellers for their 
children been carried on? 

A. Since the capture of Bhurtpore. 

Q. In what parts of the country do your gangs carry on their 
depredations? 

A. In the Jeipore, Beekaneer, and Bhurtpore states, and in all 
parts of upper India. 

c 



18 



Q. You are in the habit of taking your wives with you on 
expeditions. In what manner do you employ them ? 

A. Yes, we always take them with us, and employ them in in- 
veigling travellers with their families, and they receive charge of 
the children while we are murdering their parents. 

Q. Are the children of the murdered people sent under charge 
of the female Thugs to be disposed of ? 

A. Yes. 

Q. Do you worship any Goddess, and invoke her name by 
the sacrifice of a goat, or in any other way ? 

A. Yes, we make an offering to the Goddess Kallee by the 
sacrifice of a goat on opening an expedition, and preserve a por- 
tion of the plunder we acquire by the sale of the children, which 
is spent in purchasing sweetmeats, and is disbursed in the name 
of Kallee by the Jemadar of the gang. 

Q. You say your operations are conducted under the auspi- 
ces of the Goddess Kallee; why, I always understood she forbid 
Thugs murdering female travellers ? 

A. Yes, she did, a.nd by not paying attention to her man- 
dates, we always thought our associations would be broken up. 

Q* You invariably preserve the lives of children and sell them 
sometimes to respectable natives. How do you account for their 
not relating the fate of their parents and not having caused your 
apprehension long ago ? 

A. We never allow the children to witness the murder of 
their parents, and the purchasers are always glad to find there is 
no chance of their being recognized by their relatives in the event 
of the children disclosing the fate of their parents. 

Gopaul, Approver. 

Q. You were, I understand, confined by the Paloundee chief 
five years ago, for kidnapping children; where did you get them? 

A. Yes, I murdered in company with a large gang of Thugs, 
eight travellers at Belochepore, and took six of their children 
with four other Thugs to Paloundee, and the Rajah, hearing of 



19 



our arrival, ordered us to be arrested, and we were kept in jail 
four months. 

Q. What became of the children ? 

A. The Paloundee chief took them away from us, and sent 
them to the Commissioner of Delhie. 

Q. After your release from Paloundee did you ever go on 
Thuggee ? 

A. Yes, I have never had any other occupation. 

Q. What price were you in the habit of getting for the chil- 
dren you obtained ? 

A. We formerly used to get 80 or 100 Rupees for fair good 
looking children. 

Jewun, Approver. 
Q. You were confined in the Muttra jail for Thuggee three 
years ago ? 

A. Yes, I murdered four people at Husseeagunge, and one of 
the Bunjarrah Thugs being dissatisfied with the division of the 
plunder, went and related the particulars of the murder to the 
Thanadar, who arrested twenty-two of us. 

Q. Were any children of the murdered people recovered ? 

A. Yes, six of them ; one of whom a boy, named Girdharee, re- 
cognized me and told the Magistrate I had murdered his parents 
with a sword. 

Q. How came you to escape punishment on that occasion ? 

A. Owing to some discrepancies in the statement of the boy, 
who did not witness the murder of his parents; but we attribut- 
ed our success in getting released on this occasion, to the God- 
dess Kallee, and we disbursed 24 Rupess in her name, among 
the Brahmins and poor people. 

Moosmt. Umree alias Khumba. 
Q. How long have you been confined in the Delhie jail, and 
for what crime ? 

c 2 



20 



A. About six years ; and for the murder of three travellers 
near Delhie. 

Q. How came this murder to be brought to light ? 

A. The children of the murdered people were recognized by 
some of their relatives who detailed the particulars of the mur- 
der of their parents. 

Q. How many of your sons were concerned in this murder? 

A. Three, who were all hung, as well as two others of my 
relations. 

Q. I understand you were formerly a Thug Jemadarnee. Is 
this correct? 

A. Yes ; my husband had a gang of forty or fifty men and 
women, whom I always accompanied on Thuggee. 

Q. Did you ever perform the office of Lughandoss or 
strangler ? 

A. No, the female Thugs are only employed in taking charge 
of the children of the murdered people. 

Hoopla, son of Moosmt. Umree. 

Q. Did you still continue murdering travellers after hearing 
of the fate of your mother, and three brothers at Delhie? 

A. I was very much distressed at hearing of their fate, and 
left off Thuggee for several years, but I commenced it again^ 
about a year ago, and perpetrated the murders of Soneput, 
Thunaiseir and Furrucknuggar. 

Q. Have you ever communicated with your mother Umree, 
during the time she has been confined in the Delhie jail ? 

A. No. 

Q. I believe you got Rookmunee after the murder of her pa- 
rents near Delhie; how many times has she accompanied you on 
Thuggee ? 

A. Yes, I took her at the valuation of 80 Rupees, and she 
has been present at two affairs, the Kurnaul and Thunaiseir. 

Q. Was she aware of your occupation when she came to live 
with you ? 



21 



A. No, she was very young when she first came to live with 
me. 

Q. Has she ever seen you actually murder travellers with 
the Roomal? 

A. No, we always murder our victims at night, and our wo- 
men merely take charge of the children of the travellers in our 
sirkee or tents. 

Q. How did you get your other wife Radha? 

A. She is the wife of Khooshalla, and I fell desperately in 
love with her and induced her to run off with me. 

Q. Has she ever been present at any murder ? 

A. Yes, she was at the Kurnaul and Thunaiseir affairs. 

Q. Did not the people of your village make any remarks at 
seeing a woman of the Jatnee caste living with you ? 

A. I do not think she was ever seen, as she was seldom al- 
lowed to go out of my house. 

Rookmunee, a woman of the Jatnee caste whose parents were 
murdered at Delhie. 

Q. How long have you been living with Roopla, 

A. About six or seven years, or after the murder of my pa- 
rents near Delhie. 

Q. Did you witness the murder of your parents ? 

A. No, they were murdered at night, and the following 
morning, the two sisters of my husband about 8 or 10 years of 
age, were taken to Delhie and sold to some prostitutes, and I 
was adopted by Roopla Jemadar. 

Q. Were you aware of the occupation of Roopla when you 
went to live with him ? 

A. No, I was not at first, but he afterwards told me of the 
manner he gained a livelihood. 

Q. Did you ever inquire of Roopla what became of your rela- 
tions ? 

A. Yes, I asked him frequently, and he told me my parents 
had sold me to him for 80 Rupees. 



22 



Q. Have you ever accompanied him on Thuggee ? 

A. Yes, I went with him on three expeditions, and was pre- 
sent at the Kurnaul and Thunaiseir affairs. 

Q. Did you see any people murdered on these occasions ? 

A. No, I was employed in taking charge of the children and 
preventing them bewailing the loss of their parents, who are 
always taken some distance from the sirkee or tents of the gang. 

Q. Did you feel no compunction in aiding and abetting in 
the acts of these Assassins, and seeing poor unfortunate chil- 
dren bereaved of their parents ? 

A. I lived two years with Roopla before I went on an expe- 
dition^ and became reconciled to the course of life I was obliged 
to lead, and at the same time knew that his sole occupation was 
murdering travellers for their children and therefore felt less 
compunction than I otherwise should have done in rendering 
my assistance. 

Radha, a ivoman of the Jatnee caste, 
Q. Where were your parents murdered ? 
A. Near the village of Dunkaree in the Boolundshuhur dis- 
trict. 

Q. How many Thugs were present on this occasion ? 
A. Between forty and fifty. 

Q. Did you witness the murder of your parents ? 

A. No, they were murdered during the night, and I and my 
two young brothers were entrusted to the charge of the female 
Thugs, and we were offered for sale a few days afterwards to 
some gypsies, who would not give a sufficient sum for me, and I 
was subsequently adopted by Saiga Jemadar, a relation of 
Khema. 

Q. Have you ever heard any thing of your two brothers, since 
the murder of your parents ? 
A. No. 

Q. Have you been in the habit of accompanying your adopt- 
ed husband on Thuggee since you have been living with him ? 



23 



A. Yes, I have been on three or four expeditions with him. 

Q. A poor Fakeernee woman was murdered in your house 
at Joulee eight or nine months ago ; did you feel no compunc- 
tion in taking charge of her children during the time your hus- 
band was employed in strangling her ? 

A. I was compelled to obey the orders of my husband, who 
directed me to prevent the children making a noise. 

Q. What time of the day was this woman murdered? 

A. About 12 o'clock, and her body was covered over with 
clothes, and removed during the night by my adopted husband, 
Hurree Sing and others. 

Q. What became of her three children? 

A. They were sold to Khoshallee Bunjarrah for 20 Rupees. 

Oodakoor, the adopted wife of Saiga Bunjarrah. 

Q. Where were your parents murdered? 

A. Near Muthra about five years ago, and I was adopted by 
Saiga Bunjarrah, and my two sisters and brothers were taken 
away by the Thugs and^ disposed of, since which I have never 
seen them. 

Jew t un Doss. 

Q. Were you present at the murder of this woman's parents, 
and can you tell me what became of her two sisters and brother? 

A. Yes, I was present on that occasion, but can give no in- 
formation regarding her sisters who were sold to some Bunjar- 
rahs. 

Agam Oodakoor, the adopted wife of Saiga. 
Q. Have you ever accompanied your adopted husband on 
Thuggee ? 

A. I have been on two expeditions. 

Q. When you discovered your adopted husband was a pro- 
fessional Thug, did you not attempt to make your escape, and 
relate to the police the fate of your parents? 



24 



A. I often thought of doing so, but for the first six months I 
was watched day and night, and I afterwards became reconcil- 
ed to my fate, and used to assist my husband by taking charge 
of the children of the people he murdered. 

Kaner Doss, Approver. 

Q. You were concerned in the Kurnaul and Thunaiseir af- 
fairs, can you tell me what became of the child Goorbux took 
home with him ? 

A. Yes, I was present at both these affairs, but cannot say 
what Goorbux did with the child he adopted. Hoopla says he 
saw the child with Goorbux when he was arrested, and heard 
afterwards of its death. 

Q. You also adopted one of the children of the people who 
were murdered at Thunaiseir? 

A. Yes, Nowla gave me a Brahmin boy as I lost my only son 
on that expedition whom I intended adopting, but he unfor- 
tunately died of fever. 

Agam Khema, Jemadar. 

Q. You have, I believe, served with the Kailbaillee Thugs ; 
under what disguise do they carry on their depredations? 

A. They are of the Jogee caste, and carry snakes with them, 
and perform all kinds of tricks, and the poor travellers are thus 
induced to join them and witness their religious feats with these 
animals. 

Khema. 

Q. Do these men also carry on their murderous avocations, 
under the auspices of the Goddess Kallee ? 

A. Yes, they invariably propitiate her name by the sacrifice 
of a goat. 

Q. Has not Meeanauth, the Jemadar of these gangs, an 
adopted wife whose parents he murdered ? 

A. Yes, and so has Luckurnath, and another of his gang. 



25 



Mungul Doss, Approver, 
Q. How long have you practiced Thuggee ? 
A. Since the Nubbeea Sal, or about five years ago. 
Q. You are, I believe, a Kotwall, what may be the duties of 
that office ? 

A. Yes, I am a Kotwall, and my duty consists in arranging 
with the Zemindars of the village for firewood and atta for the 
gang, and I keep the accounts of each member of the gang. 

Q. Your brother Ghuttatope, I understand, is a Jemadar of 
Thugs. Is this the case ? 

A. He is not in the habit of going on expeditions, but he re- 
ceives his share of the property plundered. 

(True Translations.) 

(Signed) C. E. MILLS, 

A. G. S. 



Jhujjur Affair. Murder of a man, his wife, and infant child, 
with her sister and her grown up son, for the sake of two girls, 
December, 1837. 

Nine members of this gang were arrested in the month of 
December, 1837, in the territory of the Nawab of Jhujjur 
after the murder of a man, his wife, and infant child, his sister 
and her grown up son twenty years of age, five persons, for 
the sake of two girls whom they sold for one hundred and forty 
Rupees. They were taken to the Nawab of Jhujjur, who sent 
them to Mr. Metcalfe, the Delhie Commissioner, who made 
over the case for investigation to his assistant Lieutenant Ro- 
binson.* They were subsequently made over to Lieutenant 



* Mr. Robinson stated in a letter written on this occasion, that he had hardly 
ever before seen such beautiful children as those whose parents had been murdered 
in this affair. 

D 



26 



Mills, of the Thuggee Suppression Department at Meerut, who 
committed the whole nine persons for trial to Mr. Benson, the 
Sessions Judge at Meerut, on the 26th June, 1838. His proceed- 
ings in the case were forwarded for revision and final orders to 
the Supreme Criminal Court at Allahabad on the 7th July, and 
on the 18 th of that month the following sentence was passed 
by that Court : 

Dheera, son of Hurlal, imprisonment for life at hard labour in 
irons. 

Rambuksh, son of Pertaub, ditto ditto ditto. 
Khyda, son of Munsa, ditto ditto ditto. 
Bukhta, alias Bhugta, son of Hurkishun, ditto ditto. 
Hunsoo, daughter of Donga, imprisonment for life at labour 
suited to her sex. 

Ruttouree, daughter of Mukoon, ditto ditto ditto. 

TFor being accessories af- 
Autee, son of Rikha, to impri-1 ter the fact in purchasing 

. n H 1 the two children Birkee and 

sonment tor 7 years. < ™ -, c ^ 

J j Cnundoo ot the other pnso- 

Kooslee,daughterof Jussa, ditto. J ners knowing them to have 

\ been unlawfully obtained. 

In this case it will be better to give the depositions of the 
parties as they were taken before the local authorities than to 
attempt to make a narrative of the affair from them. The tw r o girls 
were, after the trial, made over by Lieutenant Mills to Mrs. 
Colonel WmsH,to be educated at the native school established at 
Meerut. "They are, he says, very pretty and interesting chil- 
dren, and will, I have no doubt, be taken great care of." 

Deposition of Sheikh Nusseer ollah Resaldar, in the service of 
the Nawab of Jhujjur in the Delhie Territory, 24th December, 
1837. Before the Nawab of Jhujjur. 

Muloka Kular, of Acknuj, came to me about five days ago, and 
reported that two persons had come to his house with two girls 
and lodged. I sent with him Fakeer ollah, one of my Bargeers 
(troopers,) to see who they were. On his arrival, one of the girls, 



27 



by name Birkee, began to weep; and on the man asking why 
she did so, she said, that these people had killed their mother 
and father, and their father's sister and her son, and brought 
them to this place. The trooper, on hearing this, brought the 
woman Haslee, and the man Autee, with the two girls to me; 
and I put the two persons in the stocks, and asked Autee 
what he had done. He told me that his friends would soon 
secure and bring me the offender Dheera. 

I went yesterday myself to the village of Byree, and an old 
person of that place told me, that two of their people had gone in 
search of Dheera, and that I should be informed of the result. 
The two girls on being questioned by me, stated, that Dheera 
and six other persons had strangled five of their relations, their 
father and mother, their father's sister and her son, and their 
younger sister, on the left bank of the Jumna. On asking 
Autee, he said, that he had purchased these two girls from 
Dheera and others for one hundred and forty rupees in the vil- 
lage of Chohar near Bisahun, and paid the money for them, 
that they had received the children from them in the jungle an 
hour before day light, and that Ramdeen Tomundar had caused 
them to give him a brass lotah (jug) and two Rupees. 

Autee said, that one of the party, Hyder, was at Rohtuk, but 
he did not know where the rest were. 

Deposition of Birkee, a girl, by caste a Jat, and about twelve 
years of age, daughter of Nunda, of the village of Donea near 
Jeipore, 24th December 1837. Before the Nawab of Jhujjur. 

About three years ago, in the time of scarcity, I left Donea 
with my mother and father, my father's sister and her son, and 
Chundoo my sister, who is now here, about eight or nine 
years of age, and a third sister then about one year old. We 
came to Chundousee, and about two or three months ago were 
on our way to Delhie, when about a coss from the city on the 
bank of the river, on the other side, we met Bhagerut, the hus- 
band of my sister Rajan, carrying a bundle of wood. He asked 

D 2 



28 



whither we were going; and being told, recommended us to go 
to Rewaree before we came to Delhie. Taking his advice we 
all went to Jhujjur, and spent the night there, and then went 
and spent a night at Rohtuk, and thence went to Paneeput, and 
thence to Soneeput where we rested three days. We left that 
place with Khyda, 

Dheera, 

Bhika, 

Ximeea, 

Rambuksh Bhat, 

Reoree, wife of Rambuksh, 

Puduma, wife of the brother of Khyda, whose name 

I forget. 

These people had accompanied us from Rohtuk, and it was 
dark before we reached the bank of the Jumna, so that no boat 
could be got to take us down the river. Here we halted with 
the intention of waiting till morning for a boat, but at night the 
above seven persons strangled our father and mother, our 
youngest sister, my father's sister and her son, a young man 
about twenty years of age; and threw their bodies into the river. 
Thej 7 took me and my sister Chundoo, and returned back to- 
wards Soneeput. On the road we met two sepahees with their 
baggage laden upon a pony. They asked whither we were 
going, and were told that we were going to a village in ad- 
vance. We reached Soneeput the same night, and put up in the 
surae, and about an hour before day broke, left that place and 
went to the village of Khoreea. Going on we passed the next 
night in a small hovel half a cose from Boree. There we were 
rejoined by Dheera who had left us at Khoreea, and now came 
up with Nunhoo, Hurree Sing, and Purmula, sons of Kusulee, 
the woman now here in confinement. They all three remained 
there with our party of seven, besides us two girls, four days; 
at the expiration of which they came on with us to Uchnuj 
where we put up in Mulooka Kotwall's house. 

Here Nunhoo twice brought a dancing woman from Jhujjur 



23 



to look at us. I used to cry a great deal, and a sweeperess of the 
place hearing me, went off and gave information to a Mussulman 
gentleman whom she served. He sent a sepahee with orders 
that we should not be allowed to go from that place. Soon after 
another sepahee came, and took Autee, Kusulee,»and us two 
girls to the Mussulman at Chuchkowas. He put these two per- 
sons in the stocks, and kept them for three days, and then sent 
us all four to the Nawab. 

At Sadha, about half a coss from Beree, we were sold by 
Dheera and the others to Nunhoo, Purmula and Hurree Singh, 
the sons of Kusula, the woman here present, but for what sum 
I know not. 

A stuffed razaee (quilt) of chintz which Pemlee wore, was 
now shown to her, and she declared that it belonged to Auwun- 
tee, the young man, her consin, who had been murdered, and 
stated that Dheera had put it upon his pony after the murder, 
and that it had been torn by a bush as they went along. This 
was found to be the case on examining the quilt. A pony was 
then brought with a saddle and bridle, and the deponent declar- 
ed that it belonged to her parents, that it had a sore under the 
saddle, and that her mother, father and father's sister had been 
all three strangled with the reins which were of cord, and that 
they had drawn the cord so tight over her mother's neck in 
strangling her that they had cut through her neck. On re- 
moving the saddle the sore upon the back was found exactly as 
described by the girl. Besides these things, she recognized 
among the property found upon the prisoners, a long purse 
which her aunt used to wear round her waist, and which was 
full of Rupees when she was murdered. They divided these 
Rupees into eight shares of twenty Rupees each; and each of 
the seven grown up persons took one share, and Khyda took 
the eighth in his young infant daughter's name. It was a fine 
moon light night that they were murdered, and about a hun- 
dred paces from the stream of the Jumna. 

On the 25 th all the dancing women of Jhujjur were brought 



30 



before her, but she declared that the woman who came to see 
them was not among the number. 

Deposition of Birkee, a girl of 12 years of age, before Lieute- 
nant Mills, 14th February, 1838. 

I resided with my parents in Wortha, near Sonkorree, ten coss 
from the city of Jeipore. In the season of scarcity, three years 
ago, we left home, my father Nunda, Heerun my mother, and 
my aunt Bholee, with her son Auwuntee, a youth of twenty 
years of age, myself, and my sister Chunda. We came to Chun- 
dousee, in Rohilcund, in search of employment and subsistence. 
We remained there three years. We had been there a year 'and 
some months when our mother gave birth to another daughter. 
About four months ago we all left Chundousee for Delhie; and 
a few miles from the city met Bhagerut, the husband of my sis- 
ter, who resided in Delhie, and he advised us to go first to 
Rewarree. We did so, and remained there in a temple dedi- 
cated to Mahadeo, for a month ; my father used to work at day 
labour in making lime, and here we became acquainted with 
the prisoners Rambuksh, Pumma, his sister's husband Bildars, 
and the wife of Rambuksh, Ruttoree, who came and advised our 
parents to go with them to bathe in the holy stream at Hurd- 
war. They agreed, and we all set out with them for the pur- 
pose. In four days we reached Rohtuk, and there lodged in 
a surae with the three persons. Here Rambuksh met Dheera, 
and invited him to accompany us to Hurdwar. He came the 
next morning with Khyda, Bhugta, and Hunsooree a woman, 
and we all set out together and reached Kutona, where we 
lodged in a shop in the bazar. Leaving this place, we proceed- 
ed to the bank of the Jumna were we encamped in a jungle at 
the suggestion of Dheera. We cooked our food about mid-day 
and dined, and in the afternoon all the females of the party 
went and bathed in the holy stream of the Jumna. A little be- 
fore sun-set, Dheera, Khyda and Rambuksh took our father 
and cousin, Hunwunta, away towards Kutona, saying, that they 



31 



should be able to get subsistenc eand clothing in charity from 
some wealthy people in the neighbourhood. Some time after 
dark these three men came back to us, and said that they had 
left our father and cousin in a shop at Kutona where they 
would spend the night. Dheera stood by my mother, Khyda 
by my aunt, and Hunsooree had our infant sister in her arms. 
Rambuksh sat down upon my mother's breast and held her 
hands, and Bhugta held our aunt's hands, and Hunsooree at the 
command of Rambuksh, held our mother's legs, w T hile Dheera 
strangled her with the reins of the bridle of our pony, which 
were of cord. Khyda strangled our aunt with a piece of cord, 
and took from her waist a long purse full of rupees. When they 
had killed them they took their bodies to the river and threw 
them in; and taking us ^three girls, and all the property they 
could find, made off to a jungle near Kutona where we rested 
under a peepul tree. Our youngest sister cried a good deal at 
night, and Dheera, taking her by the arms, dashed her against 
the ground, but she still continued to cry, when he flung her 
into the river, and she was drowned. Our father and cousin 
were not killed before us, but we were told by Bhugta that they 
were dead, and afterwards told that they had gone to bathe 
and would rejoin us at Soneeput. We met two sepahees on the 
road, who asked whose girls we were; and Hunsooree told them 
we were her daughters. The murderers divided the money they 
found in the purse, and going on to Boree sold us two sisters 
to Nuthoo, Purmala and Kusulee and others for one hundred 
and forty rupees. They took us to Choochooasee in the terri- 
tory of the Jhujjur Nawab, where we were all taken up by the 
Thanadar. She now points out Dheera, the prisoner, as the 
person who strangled her mother; Khyda as the person who 
strangled her aunt, and Bhugta as having held her mother's 
hands, and Hunsooree her feet. 

This is all confirmed by Chunda her sister. 

Deposition of Dheera, son of Hurlall, of the naek caste, aged 



32 



twenty, a grass-cutter of Seekurgow. His family has resided in 
Jhujjur for the last thirty years, 14th February, 1838. 

Two months and a half ago in December, I came in search of 
employment to Rohtuk, and lodged with Khyda and Bhugta. 
One evening I went to the bazar and met Rambuksh, who sa- 
luted me and told me that I had better go with him. I agreed, 
and Khyda, Bhugta, Hunsooree, and myself set out with his 
party consisting of the two girls now here, their mother, father 
and aunt, and a young man. We went to Soneeput and from 
thence to the ghat on the Jumna to Kutona where we lodged 
at night in the bazar. The next morning w e w^ent on to the 
bank of the Jumna where w^e arrived in the afternoon and dress- 
ed and eat our dinner. A little before sun-set the father and 
cousin of the two girls w r ent w r ith me, Rambuksh, Pema, and 
Khyda in search of charity to the village. After sun-set we 
left the village and came along the bank of the Jumna, and on 
the way put the two men to death. I strangled the young man 
with a cord while Khyda held his hands. Rambuksh strangled 
the uncle while Pema held his hands. Having killed them, w e 
threw 7 their bodies into the river; it w^as about ten o'clock at night. 
I killed the youth at the command of Rambuksh. We return- 
ed to the mother and aunt of the girls, and told them that the 
men would not leave the village and that they must go and join 
them. They got ready and set out, and when w r e got to the 
bank of the river we desired them to sit down ; they did 
so ; and Rambuksh strangled one of the women w<hile Bhugta 
held her hands, and I strangled the other while Khyda held 
her hands ; whether the women assisted, does not know. Threw 
the bodies into the water. Rambuksh did not show me the pro- 
perty, I know nothing about it. I know nothing about the lit- 
tle girl their sister. Went to Rohtuk, and sold the two girls to 
some Brinjarras for one hundred rupees, and out of this I got 
four rupees for the hire of my pony. 

Dheera confesses, 14th February, 1838, and his statement 
confirms that of the girl. 



33 



Rhyda confesses, 14th February, 1838, and his statement 
confirms that of the girl. 
Hunsoo, ditto ditto ditto. 

These people differ only in the share that each person had in 
the strangling of the two women. 

In his letter of committal to Mr. Benson, Lieutenant Mills 
observes : 

1st. " In the month of January last I received intimation from 
Mr. Metcalfe, the Agent to the Governor General of the 
North Western Provinces, of a gang of Thugs having been ap- 
prehended by the Jhujjur Nawab, who had been concerned in 
the murder perpetrated near Kutana now committed for trial, 
and being invested with authority to investigate cases of this 
nature throughout the Dooab. I requested the Governor Ge- 
neral's Agent to send the whole of the people concerned in the 
above case to my court at Meerut, where the prisoners^and the 
surviving children, together with the property of the murdered 
people arrived on the 14th February, 1838. On perusing the 
proceedings held by the Jhujjur Nawab, I was not at first dis- 
posed to think this murder had been perpetrated by an organiz- 
ed sang of Thugs, who seldom or ever take their women with 
them on expeditions, and never preserve the lives of children 
except for adoption. My doubts were, however, speedily remov- 
ed on taking the deposition of these men, who one and all con- 
fessed the different parts they had acted in this atrocious scene, 
which, connected with their being satisfactorily recognized by 
the two children, who were sold to the Brinjaras, and after- 
ward recovered, and with the circumstance of some of the pro- 
perty of the murdered people being found in their houses, 
placed their guilt beyond the possibility of a doubt." 

2d. " The perpetrators of this murder are of the naek caste, 
who must have formerly emigrated from the Jeipore states, and 
are an organized class of professional murderers,, who formerly 
resided in the Jhujjur Nawab's Territory; but were expelled 

E 



34 



from that part of the country some time ago, since which they 
do not appear to have established any fixed residence." 

3d. " They have been in the habit of infesting the roads on 
the banks of the Jumna and Ganges, and selecting for their vic- 
tims the most indigent travellers, whom they may fall in with 
moving from one part of the country to another, with their fa- 
milies, and persuading them to accompany them on pretence of 
getting them service and effecting their designs on them at some 
convenient place for the disposal of the bodies, which have been 
in general thrown into the river. The children are invariably 
spared and sold to the Brinjaras, who are, without doubt, con- 
nected with these men in their dreadful pursuit." 

4th. " Two cases of murder perpetrated by members of these 
gangs, were tried at the Delhie court five or six years ago, and 
many of the prisoners suffered capital punishment, which dread- 
ful example does not appear, however, to have had any moral 
effect in deterring others from pursuing such murderous avoca- 
tions. 



(Copy.) 

To Nawab Asud-ood-Dowlah Mumtaz ool Mulk Fyze 
Alee Khan Bahadur Huzzuber Jung. 

My esteemed Friend, 

I have been informed by the agent at Delhie, 
that some of your officers have distinguished themselves particu- 
larly, by apprehending fifteen of those blood thirsty and inhu- 
man robbers ordinarily known by the designation of Thugs. 

These merciless destroyers of life may be well looked on as 
the common enemies of mankind, and he who aids in putting 
them down as the friend and defender of his race. 

This high title you have deservedly earned, and it is not pos- 
sible that any good action could be repaid by the grant of a 
higher distinction. 



35 



I think, however, that it may not be displeasing to you to re- 
ceive at the same time my thanks for your co operation with me 
in the destruction of the tribe of Thugs, and I request that you 
will communicate to your officers employed in apprehending 
the fifteen individuals above alluded to the expression of my 
high approbation. 

I remain, 

With much consideration, 
Camp at Delhie, ^ Your sincere friend, 
The 19th February, 1838.J (Signed) AUCKLAND. 



(Copy.) 

To the Right Honourable 

George Lord Auckland, G. C. B. 

Governor General of India, 

Head Quarters. 

My Lord, 

I have been highly gratified by the receipt of your Lord- 
ship's kind letter of the 19th ultimo (contents recapitulated.) 

I feel honoured beyond all expression by receiving your Lord- 
ship's thanks for my humble efforts, and which your Lordship 
has been so condescending as to term my co-operation with your 
Lordship in the destruction of the tribe of Thugs. 

Of a truth myself, my officers, and dependants are all servants 
and dependants of the British Government ; protected and sup- 
ported for the furtherance of its measures and wishes; and 
I beg leave, most respectfully, to assure your Lordship, that it 
shall ever be my study to merit a continuation of your Lord- 
ship's approbation, good-will and attention ; in like manner as 
my ancestors always strove, by their loyalty and honourable at- 
tachment to the paramount government, to merit the favour and 

E 2 



36 



attention of the British Authorities, and I trust your Lordship's 
favour and attention will not be ill bestowed on myself. 

Your Lordship's approbation has been communicated to the 
officers employed in apprehending the fifteen individuals allud- 
ed to in the present instance. 

With sentiments of profound respect and deference, and wish- 
ing your Lordship every health and happiness, 

I have the honour to be, 
My Lord, 

Jhnjjur, \ Your most obedient humble servant, 

The Wth March, 1838. J (Seal of Fyze Alee Khan.) 



(Copy.) 

To Cornet Robinson, 

Assistant Resident at Delhie. 

Sir, 

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter 
of the 10th of January last, with its enclosures relative to a 
charge of murder against certain individuals arrested by the 
Nawab of Jhujjur. 

2. It seems to me that this is a case similar to one that was 
committed for trial in the Delhie division by Mr. Lawrence, the 
Magistrate, in 1833. The prisoners were convicted of the mur- 
der of several persons for the sake of their children whom they 
wished to obtain for sale without the risk of being prosecuted 
by their parents. 

3. On that occasion we were very anxious to have made over 
to us as approvers, some of the persons who w T ere admitted as 
King's evidences, or some of the prisoners sentenced to impri- 
sonment, but Mr. McLeod, who was then in Lieutenant Brigg's 
situation, and myself applied for them m vain. 

4. The bodies of the murdered persons were, I think, disco- 



37 



vered by some European gentleman in his morning's ride from 
Delhie ; and the children were in that, as in the present case, 
old enough to give evidence against the murderers. 

5. I concur with you in opinion, that the Nawab of Jhujjur 
merits the highest praise for his conduct, and shall venture to 
write to him myself on the occasion. 
General Supfs. Office, ~\ I have the honour to be, &c. 

Jubbulpore, V (Signed) W. H. SLEEMAN, 
The 3d March, 1838. J General Superintendent. 



To Lieutenant Mills, 

Assistant Genl. Supt. Meerut. 

Sir, 

I have had the honour to receive your letter of the 24th ul- 
timo, with your proceedings in the case of the men charged 
with murder in the Jhujjur territory, 

2. These proceedings are very interesting, and under your 
judicious management, I hope the case will lead to discoveries 
that will enable us to crush this system in its infancy, for in its 
infancy it seems to be, if the statement, that it began after the 
taking of Bhurtpore, is to be relied upon. 

3. Application was made both by me and Mr. McLeod for 
some of the men formerly convicted at Delhie, as approvers, but 
these applications were not unhappily attended to. Had it been, 
we might perhaps then have put a stop to it. The Delhie case 
is often mentioned in the depositions you have now sent me, 
and when you have collected all the information obtainable, I 
shall feel much obliged to you, if you will have the goodness to 
give me a narrative of the proceedings of these gangs from the 
first. It will tend to show how little isolated efforts can do in 
the suppression of such gangs ; under the ordinary system of 
handling these criminals when a gang is seized and convicted,. 



38 



as it were by accident, part is transported, and the rest are re- 
leased, and all are lost sight of. 

4. The most singular part of these proceedings is certainly 
the confidence with which these murderers rely upon one of 
two things : first, that the children whom they sell will not tell 
the people to whom they are sold of the murder of their pa- 
rents; secondly, that if they mention these murders, the pur- 
chasers of the children will not endeavour to bring them to pu- 
nishment for the murders. These are two points to which I 
hope your enquiries will be particularly directed; for it does 
not appear, that these people ever took any great care to avoid 
the districts in which the children of murdered parents resided. 

5. Rookmunee, one of the girls whose parents were murder- 
ed, is said to be with Hoopla, a leader of one of the gangs, and 
actually assisting him in his horrid trade. I trust you will be 
able to secure both these persons ; and to get from her a free 
and full confession of all she has seen and done. It will require 
all your discretion to secure the children from those who have 
purchased them, as they will do every thing in their power to 
prevent your getting them, not only from the fear of losing 
them, but from the dread that they may themselves show you 
that they had actually informed them of the murder of their 
parents. 

Genl Supfs. Office,} I have the honour to be, &c. 

Jubbulpore, V (Signed) W. H. SLEEMAN, 
13th March, 1838. ) General Superintendent 



39 



(Copy.) 

No, 372. 

To Lieutenant Mills, 

Assistant GenL Supt. Meerut 

Sir, 

In reply to your letter of the 12th instant, I have the honour 
to acquaint you, that I think the class of delinquents to whom 
Dheera and his associates belong, are clearly to be considered 
as gangs of Thugs, and to be dealt with by you accordingly. 

2. They are associated in gangs for the murder of travellers 
generally for the sake of their children, they seem invariably to 
murder the parties before they rob them ; they strangle them 
in the same manner as the other Thugs ; and they have a slang 
language to assist them in their designs upon travellers, though 
this slang appears at present less perfect than that of the older 
associations. They are, in short, what all the Thug associations 
were many generations ago ; and if they should be left unmo- 
lested for a few generations more, they would, assuredly, be- 
come precisely what we found the older associations when we 
began our operations against them. 

3. It would perhaps be wrong to call these associations Naeks, 
merely because some of the members of the gangs happen to 
be of that class, or to call themselves naeks ; as it might lead to 
-the inference, that we thought all the naeks to be of this class 
of offenders. There are, of course, a vast number of naeks who 
do not murder or associate themselves in gangs for the purpose 
of murder; and there are, I conclude, many members of 
these associations who are not naeks. It would perhaps be bet- 
ter to denominate them Megpunnas, or Meghpunna walas, from 
their own slang term for this kind of murder — Megpunna. 

4. If they are now left to the ordinary police of the country, I 
fear these associations will inevitably go on increasing in the same 
great ratio that they have increased since the successful pro- 



40 



secution of the gang at Delhie in the end of 1833. Had we 
then been permitted to take all the advantage that we might of 
the occasion, we should, I think, ere this have suppressed this 
system in its infancy. 

Genl. Supfs. Office, ^ I have the honour to be, &c. 

Jubbulpore, V (Signed) W. H. SLEEMAN, 

The 24ith March, 1838. J [ General Superintendent 



On the morning of the 12th of November, 1833, the Delhie 
Chaplain, Mr. Everest, in his morning's ride found the bodies 
of three men and two women tied up in bundles, and lying on 
the bank of the Jumna about ten miles from the Lahore gate 
of the city. He returned and gave intimation to the Magistrate, 
whose assistant, Mr. Lawrence, went out immediately with 
a party of the City Police, and on examining the bodies found 
that all five persons had been strangled. The cords with which 
they had been strangled were still about their necks, and the 
bodies were shown to some approvers from Jubbulpore, who hap- 
pened to be there with a guard of Nujeebs under the command 
of Hurnath Sing Tomundar. These approvers declared, that the 
murders could not have been perpetrated by men of their fra- 
ternity, as the bodies would never by them have been left ex- 
posed in such a situation, nor would the cords have been about 
the necks of the victims, or had such clumsy knots tied in them; 
they must, they said, have been murdered by some men new to 
the trade and very awkward. The farmers and cultivators of 
Wuzeerabad were summoned, and they stated, that a gang of 
people called Bowries had passed through the town the even- 
ing before, and appeared to be going in the direction of this 
place. 

After the inquest on the bodies, the Jubbulpore guard took 
one road in search of the murderers and the police took another. 



41 



On passing near the police guard of Pahargunge, soon after 
dark about seven o'clock in the evening, the head native officer 
heard a faint cry for help twice repeated from some one by the 
side of the road, and going up to the spot, was accosted by a 
young girl whom a man was holding in his arms and trying to 
silence. " They have, said she, sobbing, killed my mother and 
father." The man was forthwith secured, and the girl told the 
police guard that six other children had been taken at the same 
time, and that she could point out the place where they were. 
The police took her to the place indicated, where they found 
two women and eight men with the six children, one of them, 
a boy Moolooa, of fourteen ; the rest of them were from two to 
three years of age. From their statement it appeared, that this 
gang had perpetrated the murders on the bank of the river. 
The name of the girl was Muleea, and that of the boy Moolloo; 
and they stated, that a party of about fourteen persons, men and 
women, came to their parents in the city of Delhie, and repre- 
sented that they could get employment for them if they would 
go with them towards Kurnaul ; that their parents had been re- 
duced by misfortunes to a state of great distress, and had been 
for some time searching for employment ; and that they gladly 
availed themselves of this offer, and went with the party to 
Wuzeerabad, about ten miles from Delhie, on the bank of the 
Jumna. They lodged at a distance from the town by the side 
of the road, and at night, their two fathers and mothers, and 
another man were murdered ; and they with five other children 
were taken off to be sold. 

Three of the gang turned King's evidence, and their state- 
ments confirmed all that the children had stated. They were 
Khoshala, and Heera, and Radha a female, who stated that 
they had taken the party from the city of Delhie through the 
Lahore gate, to a place on the bank of the river near Wuzeera- 
bad, where they murdered the three men and two women, left 
the cords with which they strangled them round their necks, 
and tied them up in five different bundles with the intention of 



42 



throwing them into the river Jumna. Why they had been left on 
the bank exposed, the King's evidences did not appear to know. 
It appears that they went to sleep with the intention of throw- 
ing the bodies into the river towards morning, but not awak- 
ing till day light, they were afraid to remove them, and made 
off as fast as they could with the children. 

Three of the fourteen made their escape before the police 
came up upon the gang, three were admitted as King's evi- 
dences, and eight were committed for trial before the Sessions 
Judge of Delhie. The trial was submitted for revision and fi- 
nal orders to the Sudder Nizamut Adawlut at Allahabad ; and 
three of the prisoners were sentenced to death, and executed at 
Delhie on the 1st March, 1834 ; four to imprisonment for life 
in the Alipore jail ; and one to the same in the Delhie jail. 
Mr. McLeod and myself tried in vain to get some of the mem- 
bers of this gang as approvers with a view to the suppression of 
this system of murder for the sake of children ; and the false 
step of releasing the three, who would have been glad to give 
their evidence upon the same conditions as ours, of exemptions 
of punishments of death and transportation, and of refusing to 
allow any of the others to be made over to us for employment, 
enabled these people to carry on their system without any fur- 
ther check till the year 1838; when a gang of this fraternity 
was arrested by the Nawab of Jhujjur, within his own territory, 
immediately after the perpetration of some murders within the 
Delhie district. He had them all made over to the Resident, 
Mr. Metcalfe, who made over the case for investigation to a 
very intelligent officer, Mr. Robinson. The Nawab received 
the cordial thanks of the Governor General couched in the 
most flattering terms, and the case was finally handed over to 
Mr. Mills for committal to the Sessions Judge at Meerut. 

Mohna, hung 1st March, 1834, at Delhie. This was the man 
who was seized with the girl Muleea in his arms. 

Sewa 1st, son of Tigga, hung 1st March, 1834, at Delhie. 
Balkishun, hung ditto ditto. 



43 

Rahmoo, imprisonment for life in the Alipore jail. 
Bohna, ditto ditto ditto. 
Zalmee, ditto ditto ditto. 
Sewa 2d, ditto ditto ditto. 

Rookmunee, wife of Sewa 1st, sentenced to imprisonment for 
life in the Delhie jail. 

Radha, Native woman, released as King's evidence. 
Khoshala, ditto ditto ditto. 
Heera, ditto ditto ditto. 



No. 225. 

To Major W. H. Sleeman, 

General Superintendent, Jubbulpore. 

Sir, 

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your 
communication dated 20th ultimo, with enclosure, and in reply 
thereto have the pleasure to annex copy of a letter to my ad- 
dress from the Rev. Mr. Everest ; for further information 
allow me to refer you to my letter, No. 101, dated 1st May, by 
which you will perceive, that the file of proceedings in this case 
have been made over to Lieut. C. Mills, at Meerut. 

I have, &c. 

Delhie Agency, ^ (Signed) J. ROBINSON, 
17th September, 1838. j Asst. Agent Gr. Gl. 



To J. Robinson, Esq. 

Delhie. 

Sir, 

In reply to yours I beg to state, that the principal facts detail- 
ed by Hurnath Sing Tomundar, respecting the discovery of five 

F2 



44 



bodies of murdered persons near the Jumna, are correct. They 
were found by me on the 12th November, 1833, about halfway 
between the village of Buraree and Wuzeerabad and about 200 
yards from the Jumna, on an open plain; one body (that of a 
stout young man under 20,) was lying exposed and quite nak- 
ed ; a little blood, not quite congealed, had issued from his 
mouth and nostrils; a small cord, such as natives let down 
their lotahs into wells with, was lying by his side. The other 
bodies were bound up in common cloths, red and white, look- 
ing at a distance like large washerman's bundles. I did not 
undo the cloths, but saw enough to convince me that the bodies 
had been packed by adepts in the trade. I was surprized that 
the bodies were left in such a spot, with no attempt at conceal- 
ment, and at first conjectured that they had been dropped on 
seeing me at a distance, but the coldness and stiffness of the 
limbs, and the heavy dew that had settled on them, made it evi- 
dent that they had been there some hours. For further parti- 
culars of the case, I beg to refer you to Mr. Lawrence, now 
Magistrate of Goorgaon, who investigated the case, and com- 
mitted the prisoners for trial. He is the " Lallan" mentioned 
by Hurnath Sing. I know nothing more of the case, but by 
hearsay, having despatched a man to give information to the 
police, and then quitted the spot Some of the prisoners are, 
I believe, yet alive in the Delhie jail. 

I have, &c. 
(Signed) ROBERT EVEREST, 

H. C. Chaplain. 

(True Copy.) 

(Signed) J. ROBINSON, 

Asst. Agent Gr. Gl. 



In October, 1833, Rambuksh, after the murder at Ladlee 
(No. 5) while in the service of the Jhujjur Nawab, proceeded on 



45 



an expedition toDelhie with a gang of twenty Megpunnas. They 
lodged in a surae outside the city, and sent in Roopla to seek 
for travellers suitable to their purpose. He soon returned with 
a man of the Jat caste, his wife, his son, his son's wife, Rookmunee, 
a girl of about thirteen years of age, and two daughters, all tra- 
velling in a bullock carriage. They were persuaded to travel 
with them, and going on about eight miles to a ferry upon the 
Jumna, the travellers were prevailed upon to rest there till the 
morning. After dark, the two men and the woman were mur- 
dered and thrown into the river, and the children^were taken 
back into Delhie, where two of them were sold to Brinj arras for 
one hundred and sixty rupees, the other, Rookmunee, was adopt- 
ed by Roopla as his wife, and has ever since, as she confesses, 
joined him in his murderous expeditions. 

Rookmunee, of the Jat caste, now about seventeen years of 
age, was arrested by Lieutenant Mills on the 13th June, 1838, 
about thirty miles from Meerut, together with her new husband 
Roopla Jemadar, the leader of the gang, by whom her parents 
had been murdered ; another member of the gang of the same 
name, and a woman of the same caste, Naek, and a member of 
the gang. They all confessed their crimes, and gave in to Lieu- 
tenant Mills narratives of their adventures. Rookmunee stat- 
ed as follows: 

My name is Rookmunee, I am the daughter of Jewun and 
Luchmee, who resided in Jhalamul in Joudpore, my age is 
about seventeen. We were four sisters, the first Gumanee, the 
second Mirgan, the third Luchmee, and the fourth myself. I 
have heard from my father that when my grand-father Eesur 
died, I was seven months old, and on the day that the elders 
assembled together on the occasion of his funeral, my parents, 
for want of means to celebrate my marriage in the ordinary 
way, put me upon a brass plate, and had me betrothed in the 
mode known among Hindoos by the term " Dhurm Shadee," 
religious marriage, which renders all cost unnecessary. I was 
thus betrothed to Megha, the son of Perdas, of the same caste as 



46 



myself ( Jat), who resided at Deotura within a mile of us. A- 
bout ten or twelve years ago, in a year of great scarcity, we left 
Jhalamul and came to Samode in Jeipore. Some years after 
we came to Hansee in search of employment. Here my father- 
in-law came to fetch me, some six years ago, and I went with 
them to Delhie. We were, my father Perdas sixty years of age, 
and mother-in-law forty years of age, my husband twenty 
years of age, and his two sisters Danee, thirteen years of age, and 
Nurutee, ten years of age. We travelled in a carriage drawn 
by two white bullocks, and encamped in a grove outside the 
city of Delhie on the road to Hansee. Here Dheera Naek, of 
Jhujjur, came to us, and told us that if we would accompany 
him he would insure my husband and his father good service. 
Having dressed and eaten our dinners, we got into our carriage 
and set out with him, and were soon after joined by Rambuksh, 
Roopla, Deera and others ; and three coss from Delhie we 
reached in the evening a village on the banks of the Jumna. 
Here we rested, and we girls were much fatigued and soon fell 
asleep. About midnight Rambuksh and Dheera came, roused 
us up, and told us that my husband and his mother and father 
had run away and deserted us. Seeing the carriage, bullocks, 
and every thing else about us as usual, we at once concluded 
that they had been murdered, and began to cry. They told us, 
that if we cried or made any kind of noise, they w T ould instantly 
put us to death. They took us with them, set out about one 
watch before day light, entered Delhie, and lodged in an old 
ruin. Here they sold the two sisters of my husband to a man 
whose name I forget ; but Roopla Jemadar, the principal leader 
of the gang, reserved me, and made me his wife. It was about 
five or six years ago in the beginning of October. 

They took me to Bhousee, where we celebrated the marriage 
of Lalloo, my new husband's brother. After the marriage the 
gang dispersed, and we went to reside in the house of Khoshala. 
I know nothing about the relations either of my own parents 
or those of my husband. The persons engaged in the murder 



47 



were, Dheera, Rambuksh, Dewa the father of Hoopla, Mosum, 
Omree, Padamulla wife of Dheera, Hoopla son of Sewa, and 
Roopla son of Dewa, all now here in prison ; Moteea, Lullooa, 
Bhyroon, sons of Dewa, who were all afterwards hung for other 
murders at Delhie; and Poonna and his wife, Khemlee,and Fut- 
teea son of Dewa, who are all still at large. 

Roopla used to go out with the gangs after I became his 
wife, and I was with him at the perpetration of two murders. 
One at Kurnaul, in company with Goorbuksh Brinjarra ; two 
men and one woman, Brahmins, were murdered, and two girls 
secured, and sold to Goorbuksh ; it was about seven or eight 
months ago. The second murder took place at Sohunpat, on 
the banks of the Jumna, between Delhie and Kurnaul, about 
four months ago. One man and his wife were killed, and two 
boys secured ; they were both sold to Dhoomee Brinjarra of 
Dabaree. One of the mares now brought in belonged to the 
Brahmins murdered at Kurnaul ; Khoshala's wife was also pre- 
sent at these murders, but she was not present at the murder 
of my husband and his parents. My husband's gang consisted 
of ten men, besides women. The prisoners were now brought 
before her, and she took out the following persons by the arms 
as having been engaged in the murders of her husband, Megha, 
and his parents. 

Amree, woman, King's evidence from the Delhie jail. 

Paloree, ditto. 

Padeema, ditto. 

Rambuksh, man. 

Dheera, ditto. 

Roopla, son of Dewa, her husband. 
Roopla, the one-eyed. 

Roopla stated in his deposition taken before Lieutenant 
Mills : " I learnt the Megpunna trade of murder from Khea- 
ma Jemadar ; and I got Rookmunee after the murder of her pa- 
rents near Delhie. I had then a gang of sixteen or seventeen 
persons. Dheera, one of the prisoners now here, won the confi- 



48 



dence of the party and prevailed upon them to come out and 
join us, they were the father and mother-in-law of Rookmunee, 
and her husband with his two young sisters. We took them 
with us on the pretence of getting them service, and the fe- 
males travelled in a bullock cart. We murdered the old people 
and the husband of Rookmunee at night, threw their bodies in- 
to the Jumna, and returned to Delhie with her and their two 
sisters of her husband. We sold one of them for eighty rupees 
to a Syad near the Ferosh Khana, and the other was sold for 
thirty to the Nawab of Jhujjur. Rookmunee, I took as my wife, 
at a valuation of sixty rupees. I had formerly a gang of twelve 
or thirteen, but seven or eight of them were hung some time 
ago at Delhie, and since that time I have been' able to muster 
only five or six. I had another wife, whom I seduced away from 
Khoshala, who resided at Singhana, and they were both in 
the habit of accompanying me on my Megpunna expeditions. 
There were about one hundred of my class in the habit of 
practicing Megpunna including all those hung at Delhie. 
Goorbuksh Jemadar had a gang of twenty of the Brinjarra caste, 
and his brother Nowla another of seven or eight ; Kheama is 
the greatest leader of all, and he has a gang of fifty or sixty 
with him ; nearly all the Surowors of my gang are now here 
in jail." Another man and his wife were murdered at the 
same time, or about the same time with Rookmunee's father 
and mother-in-law, and their child taken. See Dheera's narra- 
tive. 

In February, 1835, a man, his wife, three young sons and 
two young daughters, left their village of Kheerpore in the 
Muthra district to try to better their condition by emigration. 
On reaching the village of Husseeagunge in the same district, 
they fell in with a party of religious mendicants, of the Byra- 
gee sect, who prevailed upon them to lodge with them. Soon af- 
ter they had joined them, another man and his wife of the Jat 
caste came up with two young sons, and they were in the same 



49 



manner invited to lodge with the Byragees. They all proceed- 
ed with them the next day to the village of Gokula on the bank 
of the Jumna, and the men and women were all persuaded to 
go down to the water's edge where they were all strangled and 
thrown into the river. The children were all taken to Rubboo- 
pore, in the Bolundshuhur district, where they were all sold to 
some people of the Brinjarra caste who make a trade of stealing 
and selling children, and who took them off to Hussunpore in 
the Begum Sombre's territories. 

In the division of the property a quarrel took place between 
two members of the gang, Hookurna and Khurga ; Hookurna 
got severely beaten, and in his rage he went off to the Thana- 
dar of Husseeagunge on the 19th February, 1835, and report- 
ed the whole circumstance. The Thanadar seized twenty-two 
of the gang and recovered five of the children, who were point- 
ed out to him in Hussunpore by Hookurna. They were all for-, 
warded to the Magistrate at Muthura, and before him the eldest 
of the three little brothers, Girdharee, then about ten years of 
age, stated the case as it had occurred ; but said that he did not 
himself see his parents murdered, as they were taken away from 
the children down to the water's edge and there murdered ; but 
that he had heard it all from Hookurna while they were taking 
them to Husungunge for sale. 

The Magistrate was at first in hopes that Mr. Wilson, of the 
Thuggee Suppression Department, would have some men well 
acquainted with the character of these men ; but it was found 
that they were quite unknown to Mr. Wilson's approvers. Un- 
able to find proof enough to convict these people upon the speci- 
fic charge of murder, the Magistrate sentenced them as notorious 
bad characters to be detained in prison on a requisition of secu- 
rity for their future good behaviour for the prescribed period. 

The order of the Magistrate was reversed by the Sessions 
Judge of the Agra district on the 25th September, 1835 ; and 
nineteen of these murderers by profession were released with- 
out any security for their future good behaviour by his order ; 

G 



50 



one was ordered to give the required security ; and two of the 
gang were committed for trial before the Sessions on the charge 
of having sold the children within the Company's territories. 

Several members of the gang were arrested by Lieutenant 
Mills soon after they had perpetrated other murders in the 
month of May, 1838. They confessed the murders at Husun- 
gunge among others ; and when Lieutenant Mills got the pro- 
ceedings in the case from the Magistrate, he found that they 
confirmed entirely all that these men stated to him regarding 
that affair. What became of the five children I know not.* 

The Confession of Jewun Dass, alias Prem Dass, relative to 
the Husseeagunge affair, taken in my presence on the 19th Au- 
gust, 1838. 

Q. Are you a Jemadar of Thugs ? 

A. Yes. 

Q. How many men and women compose your gang ? 

A. My gang formerly consisted of 50 or 60 men and women, 
but of not more than ten or twelve latterly. 

Relate some of the technical terms used by your gang ? 

A. We call our trade, viz. murdering travellers for their chil- 
dren, Megpunna. A male traveller, Kur, a female traveller, 
Kurree. 

Q. Da you observe any omens on opening a Megpunna ex- 
pedition ? 

A. Yes, the call of the partridge, which if heard on the left 
is considered propitious, and on the right the contrary. 

Q. From whom did you learn this system of Thuggee, &c. ? 

A. From Umree Jemadarnee, a woman confined for life in the 
Delhie jaiL 



* Deeaba acknowledges that he was present at this murder with his surviving 1 
sons ; and these sons confess that they took an active part in these murders. Their 
three brothers had before been hung at Delhie for similar murders, and their mother 
Omree, was at the same time sentenced to imprisonment for life for assisting them in 
those murders. She was in the Delhie jail at the time that her husband and sons per- 
petrated these last murders. 



51 



Q. Relate the particulars of the Husseeagunge affair ? 

A. I left my home with a gang of forty Thugs and proceed- 
ed to Husseeagunge, where Heera Dass and Rookmunee went 
to the city of Muttra for the purpose of buying some clothes, 
and succeeded in winning the confidence of four travellers, 
two men and two women, with their three children, whom 
they brought with them to our encampment. After passing two 
days with us, Teella Dass, Mudhoo Dass, Byragees, and Dewa 
Hookma, Teeiake, Gungaram, Brinjarras, Balluck Dass, Chut- 
ter Dass, Neput Dass and Hunooman Dass prevailed on this 
family to accompany them to the banks of the Jumna and mur- 
dered the four elderly travellers in a garden near the village of 
Gokool. After throwing their bodies into the Jumna, they took 
their three children to the " Tanda" or encampment of Dewa 
Brinjarra near the village of Kheir, and sold the two female chil- 
dren for 40 Rupees and the male for 5 Rupees. On their re- 
turn to the encampment of the gang, Heera Dass, alias Pudma, 
and Mudhoo Dass quarrelled about the division of the money, 
which terminated in Hookuma Brinjarra preferring a complaint 
of selling children against Mudhoo Dass at the Thana of Hus- 
seeagunge, The Thanadar made enquiries regarding the sale of 
the children, and succeeded in recovering them from Dewa 
Brinjarra, who related at the Thana the particulars of the mur- 
der of their parents, and the circumstance of their having been 
taken by a party of Byragee Thugs to the village of Khar, and 
sold to the Brinjarra, upon which the Thanadar apprehended 
29 of us, viz. 



1. 


Jewah Dass. 


9. 


Hunooman Dass. 


2. 


Jankee Dass, 


10. 


Roopa Malee. 


3. 


Munroopa, 


11. 


Nunnooa. 


4. 


Chuttur Dass. 


12. 


Nursing Dass, 


5. 


Hatteeram. 


13. 


Gopaul Dass. 


6. 


Balluck Dass. 


14. 


Gurreeb Dass. 


7. 


Mohungir. 


15. 


Deavee Dass. 


8. 


Tilluk Dass. 


16. 


Luchmun Dass. 



O 2 



52 



17. Deeaba. 21. Moost. Radha. 

18. Mustram. 22. Dewa. 

19. Toolsee Dass. 23. Gungaram. 

20. Ramkishun. Five women of the Brin- 
jarra caste, and 29th the Deponent, and forwarded us to the 
Magistrate of Muthura, with the three children, who ordered 
them to point out the murderers of their parents, and one of 
them, Girdharee, a boy of eleven years of age, recognized 
myself, 

Heera Dass, 

Gungaram, 

Mudhoo Dass, and 

Hunooman Dass, 
and said, that I had killed his parents, with a sword, during the 
night, and after throwing their bodies into the river, took him 
and his sisters to some Brinj arras for sale. The Magistrate ob- 
serving several discrepancies in the children's statements (who 
did not witness the death of their parents,) and being deprived 
of every other kind of evidence, owing to the bodies having 
been thrown into the river, released the whole of us excepting 
Teela Dass, Hunooman Dass and Tarroo Brinjarra. 
Q. Were you present at this murder ? 
A. No, I remained in the Husseeagunge garden. 
Q. By the proceedings of the Magistrate it appears six chil- 
dren were recovered, and you depose to having plundered only 
three ? 

A. We only got three, viz. Girdharee, about eleven years old 
of the Jat caste, and his two sisters, and the others were obtained 
on some other occasion. 

Q. How long did you remain at Husseeagunge ? 

A. I remained there three years cultivating land, during 
which time I occasionally went on a Megpunna expedition. 

Q. How many men were present at the murder of the parents 
of Girdharee, and received their share of the money derived by 
the sale of him and his sisters ? 



53 



A. The whole of my gang, but none of Kheama Jemadar's, 
who were also encamped in the Husseeagunge garden. 

Q. Who strangled the parents of Girdharee ? 

A. Heera Dass, alias Khurga, Mudhoo Dass Brinjarra, Bhema 
Brinjarra, and Jankee Dass. 

Q. What was the cause of Kheama Jemadar and several of 
his gang being arrested on this occasion ? 

A. Owing to their being encamped with me in the Hussee- 
agunge garden. 

Deposition of Rookmunee, a native woman, taken the 21st 
June 1838, before Lieutenant Mills. 

After the affair at Kurnaul, our two parties went on to Thu- 
naiseir, where we encamped on the bank of the tank ; here we 
spent the festival of the Dussehra. In the morning a chumar 
came up with a daughter of 25 years of age, and a son and 
daughter younger. Nowla and others told him that he should 
bring grass for their ponies, and they would give him and his 
children subsistence. 

After them a Brahmin and his wife came up, with a son 
grown up, and a daughter 14 years of age, and two other sons, 
one ten and the other three years of age. They had a mare 
with them. 

After them a carpenter's widow came up from the east, with 
her son, ten years of age. 

After them a Brahmin and his wife, with a son two and a half 
years of age, and two daughters, one fourteen, and the other 
twelve years of age. 

All lodged with us, and we remained there four or five days, 
and then set out for the bank of the Jumna which we reached 
on the third day. While I was asleep at night, the gangs took 
the travellers down to the water's edge and put them to death ; 
and our party got nine children, but how many Goorbuksh's 
party got I dont know. We all came back with our children 
and encamped in the vicinity of Beebeepore. A dispute here 



54 



took place between my husband Roopla and his brother Fut- 
teea, and I went in with him to Beebeepore. Futteea came 
and prevailed upon us to return to their camp. The girl was 
sold in Beebeepore through Gunga Dass, and one boy and girl 
Dhyan took away, and a girl was purchased and taken off in a 
covered cart to Kurnaul ; Goorbuksh bought one girl from 
Nowla, and all the other four were sold at Beebeepore to Brin- 
j arras ; Goorbuksh sold all his children at Beebeepore. 

Deposition of Radha, wife of Roopla, taken at Meerut, 21st 
June, 1838, before Lieutenant Mills. 

In Kartick last, I went from Jhujjur to Kurnaul with my hus- 
band Roopla, and there we found several encampments of Naeks 
and Brinjarras on the bank of the tank just before the Sudder 
bazar of the cantonments. We had no tent with us, and at first 
we lodged in the serae of the Sudder bazar ; but Futteea came 
for us and took us out with him to the camp, We lodged un- 
der a peepul tree on the bank of the tank under our own blan- 
kets, which we got pitched for the purpose. We were altogether 

In Goorbuksh's Tent. thirty-four persons, men, women and 
Goorbuksh, arrested. children, Goorbuksh and his party 

Choteea, ditto. of Brinjarras were encamped there be- 

Boree, a female, ditto. f ore we came up> The wives of Ka- 

Ghasee, son of Goorbuksh. ner Dasg ^ Newk and Bhugwan Dass 
Roopla, ditto. inveigled and brought to our camp a 

Pernio: $ Tent. Brahmin from the east, eighty years 

Pemla, arrested. of ^ hig wife fifty ^ and hig gon > g 

Sewla, Pemla's mother. widow ^ her daughter about six 
Dharee, wife of Pemla's yearg of ^ and son aW ^ 

\ m n „ years. They all lodged in the en- 
Khoosnal. brother of Pern- v n ^ T , , . , -. 

campment of Nowla the night ; and 

» i 3 ' i_ i.i in the morning we went down with 

remlas mothers brother. ° 

Nathan Brinjarra's Tent. them to the bank of the Jumna - lt 
Nathan, Brinjarra. was evening when we reached our 

Khimma, ditto. ground on the bank of that river. I 



55 



Mihroo, son of Khimma, forget the name of the place. We 
Hurree Sing, brother of there cooked our dinner, and after 

^ tto - eating it I went to sleep. While I 

Kooslee, brother of Na- was asleep ^ they took down the two 

t * im ' old people and their daughter-in-law 

Newla s Tent. to the river and murdered them. I 

Newla Brinjarra. was told by my husband that they 

Gyanee, his wife. ^ad ( j one go ^ an( j thereby secured 

Toolseea, son of Newla. ^ chil(W In the morning we re _ 

Roopla, son of do. 9 years . , -, * . ,i . v 
r 9 J turned and leaving the cantonment of 

old 

Kurnaul on our left hand, encamped 

A son still younger. 

^ , , , c r. t about two coss from Beebeepore. 

rutteea, brother of Koopla. # r 

The police chowkeedars came to 
Kaner Dass' Tent* , i r» t 

_ search our camp, and finding nothing 

Kaner Dass, Naek. 

-w-v-i ^ went away. Kaner Dass told my 

Bhugwan Dass, ditto. J J 

Wife of Kaner Dass, Sullee. husband to send the children with 
Gunga Dass. me to Beebeepore, but he objected, 

Daughter of Kaner Dass, sa y in g> that he had before g ot into 
8 years. trouble when his three brothers were 

Another daughter, 4 ditto. hung for having any thing to do 
Ditto, 2 ditto. with selling children, and he might 

Wife of Gunga Dass. now take this duty upon himself. I 

Ditto of Bhugwan Dass. was anxious to see Beebeepore ; and 
Roopla, in his tent of without my husband's permission set 
blankets. ou t with Heera Sing, who had charge 

Radha, one wife. of the children. We took them to 

Rookmunee, his second Beebeepore, and left them under the 

W1 ^ e * charge of Dhyan Sing. When I 

Kaneea, son of Radha. , i , 1 . i 

came back, my husband beat me with 

Dewa, father of Roopla. . , n , m • i 

a stick tor having gone on without 

his permission. Dhyan Sing came with the money and paid 

Newla for the children, but how much he gave, I do not know. 

We now went off to Thuneiseir, where we encamped in a 

grove on the bank of a tank, and here several parties of travel- 



5G 



lers were inveigled by the wives of the leaders of our gangs to 
come and take up their lodgings with us. 

1. A chumar with three daughters, one thirty years of age, 
and the others young. 

2. The widow of a carpenter, and her son ten years of age. 

3. A Brahmin and his wife, with one beautiful daughter 
fourteen years old, another five, and a son six years of age. 

4. A Brahmin and his wife with one daughter about 14, ano- 
ther 12, and a son 3 years of age. 

These travellers lodged for two or three days among the tents 
of the Naeks and Brinjarras, after which we all went one morn- 
ing to a village in the territory of the Toorooee Rajah, I forget 
his name. Here very heavy rain fell at night and deluged the 
country, and we got no rest. The next morning we went to a 
village on the bank of the canal, still in the same Rajah's coun- 
try. The next day we went to a village on the bank of the 
Jumna; and two hours after night Kaner Dass proposed, that 
we should go down to the sacred stream of the Jumna, say our 
prayers and remain there. They all went down accordingly, 
leaving me, Roopla, and his second wife Rookmunee at the vil- 
lage. They murdered the seven men and women, and threw 
their bodies into the river ; but who killed them, or how they 
were killed, I know not. The chumar and his eldest daughter, 
the two Brahmins and their wives, and the carpenter's widow 
were all murdered. 

They brought the nine children back to us a watch and a half 
before daylight. They were all crying a good deal after their 
parents ; and we quieted them the best way we could with 
sweetmeats and playthings. We came to Beebeepore, and en- 
camped in the grove. A daughter and son of the Brahmin's 
were extremely beautiful ; and these we left with Dhyan Sing 
for sale. We came on to a village a coss distant from Beebee- 
pore. Here a trooper came up to Beebeepore, saying, that he 
had heard of several people being murdered, and suspected us 
of the crime. The head men of the village of Beebeepore and 



57 



some of the Brinjarras came to our camp with the trooper, and 
assured him that he must be mistaken, as they knew us all to 
be very honest inoffensive people ; and taking him back to 
Beebeepore they treated him with great consideration, and he 
went away apparently satisfied. But fearing that our deeds had 
become known, Pemla and Newla's wives, and Pemla's mother, 
took off the seven other children to Dhyan Sing, and left them 
all in his charge. Pemla went to Kurnaul ; and Goorbuksh and 
his gang went to Beebeepore, while my husband and his party 
remained where we were. A woman who keeps prostitutes 
came from Kurnaul, and purchased and took away all the chil- 
dren. All were sold through Dhyan Sing. One boy was pur- 
chased by an elephant driver, who took him off upon his ele- 
phant ; and another was purchased by a Mussulman. All the 
rest were taken off in covered carriages by the prostitute to 
Kurnaul. I should know all their faces again were I to see 
them. My husband and Kaner Dass disputed a good deal about 
the mare that has been brought in ; but my husband got it at 
last in his share of the booty, and seven or eight rupees besides. 

At Thuneiseir, Goorbuksh and his party got six or seven tra- 
vellers, with their six or seven children, at the same time that 
we got ours ; and the parents were all murdered at the same 
time and place that the parents of our children were murdered, 
on the bank of the Jumna. He also sold his children through 
Dhyan Sing at Beebeepore. There were several people from 
Beebeepore concerned with us. We came back to Beyree in 
the Jhujjur Nawab's territory; and three or four days after 
Goorbuksh came to us with one of the boys he had kept for 
himself out of his booty.* 

The Confession of Roopla Jemadar, relative to the sale of the 
children whose parents were murdered near Kurnaul. 

Three of the children, whose parents were murdered at Kur- 



* This poor boy, Goorbuksh, is supposed to have murdered when he found it impos 
sible any longer to escape from Lieutenant Mills' parties. 

H 



58 



naul, were sold to Emambuksh, who keeps prostitutes and lives 
at a village about four coss from Kurnaul. 

Q. Describe the personal appearance of these three chil- 
dren ? 

A. One of them is about nine years old, remarkably fair, 
with very light hair, and the other two not quite so fair, 
about 6 or 7 years of age. 

Thanah Zemindar, of the village of Beebeepore, takes 5 per 
cent, on every child he disposes of for us. 

(Signed) C. MILLS, 

A. G. S. 



No. 653. 

To Major Sleeman, 

General Superintendent, Jubbulpore. 

Sir, 

In answer to your letter of the 6th instant, inclosing the 
Depositions of Prama, Rookmunee, and Radha, I have the ho- 
nour to inform you, that they all refer to the same murder, 
though you will, without doubt, observe some discrepancies in 
their statements. 

I have, however, succeeded in recovering seven of the chil- 
dren of the murdered people, and the gang have been com- 
mitted to the Court of Circuit at Meerut ; but I regret to say, 
some time must elapse ere I can acquaint you with the result 
of this trial, or that of the two other cases of the same kind 
committed, owing to the Judge of Circuit having gone to the 
Hills on leave of absence till the 1st of November next. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 

Camp Meerut, } (Signed) C. MILLS, 

A. G. S. Office, > , ^ o * t itr . , 

2\st September, 1838. j 4- G. & and Jt Magistrate. 



59 



In the beginning of October, 1834, Dheera Brinjarra, and his 
son Goordial at Ferozepore, near Delhie, fell in with a family, 
consisting of a man, his wife, and four children, on their way 
from Dholepore on the Chumbul to Delhie, in search of employ- 
ment and subsistence. They prevailed upon the parents to ac- 
company them to a place on the bank of the Jumna near the 
village of Khujpore, under a promise of using their influence 
to procure service for the poor man with their friends and ac- 
quaintances at Delhie. At night the mother and father of the 
children were persuaded to eat some sweetmeats in which poi- 
son had been mixed, and when they became insensible, they 
were strangled by the two Brinj arras, and their bodies taken to 
the river and thrown in. In the morning Zoolfakar Khan, a 
native gentleman who resided in the territory of the Begum 
Sumroo, happened to pass near the place, and on seeing him, 
two of the children ran out, told him of the murder of their pa- 
rents, and implored his protection. He followed them into the 
jungle where he found the two murderers with the other two 
children, secured them, and took them to the Begum Sumroo, 
his mistress, with the four children. The Begum sent them all 
to the Commissioner at Delhie, who made over the case for in- 
vestigation to the Magistrate of Goorgow. Goordial, one of 
the prisoners, made his escape from the house of the Com- 
missioner. His father, Dheera, was sent with the children and 
the other witnesses to the Magistrate of Goorgow. Dheera here 
declared that he had purchased all the four children from the 
parents ; and as the evidence of the children was deemed in- 
sufficient for his conviction, he was, on the 18th August, 1835, 
released with an injunction that he would not again traffic in 
children, The names of the children were, 

Jheena, a boy. 

Dulloo, ditto. 

Kishnee, a girl. 

Sewlee, ditto. 

H 2 



60 



* Khoshall. In the beginning of October, 1834, 

Khoshallee, a woman. a gang of Megpunnas, as per mar- 

Bhoja, her son. gin,* passed four days with Girdha- 

Eamkurun Brinjarra. ree , a shopkeeper in the town of Re- 

Nathoo Brinjarra, his son. war ee, and here they were joined by 

Kisla, son of Ramkurun. a poor widow R oopa ^ w ho had re- 

Khooba, ditto. cently logt her husband, with her 

Chimna, ditto. tfaree childre ^ twQ daughters arld a 

son. She was searching for employment and subsistence ; 
and was persuaded to join this gang under the promise of 
their procuring for her respectable service at Jhujjur or Del- 
hie. On the road to Jhujjur they were joined by another 
poor widow, a Brahminee, going also in pursuit of em- 
ployment and subsistence with her daughter Rookmunee, the 
second. Passing through Jhujjur, the Brahminee widow was 
murdered at night between that place and Bahadurgur unper- 
ceived by the other travellers, and her daughter was taken on 
and sold to Bahadur Jung Khan, an officer of rank at Bahadur- 
gur, for thirty-one rupees. In the serae at this place, the party 
passed two or three days together, and then proceeded on to- 
wards Jhujjur with Roopa and her three children. Encamping 
at night near the village of Naghur, they strangled the poor wi- 
dow, and threw the body into the tank ; and Khooshall com- 
mitted a rape upon the eldest of her daughters. They went 
with the children to Furruknuggur, where one of the daughters 
told the Bhutteeara of the serae how her mother had been 
murdered. He reported the circumstance to the chief of that 
place, MuzzufFer Khan, who arrested three of the gang, Kho- 
shall, and Khoshallee a woman, with her son Bhooja, and sent 
them with the children to the Magistrate of the Goorgow dis- 
trict. Kamee, one of the girls, was sent to point out the body 
of her mother whom she had seen buried ; and it was taken up 
and an inquest held upon it in the child's presence. 

Ramkeerun, another of the gang, was afterward secured, 
and the whole four were committed for trial to the Sessions 



61 



Court at Delhie, and the proceedings forwarded for revision 
and final orders to the Sudder Nizamut at Allahabad. Kho- 
shall and Bhoja were sentenced to death and hung at Delhie. 
Khoshallee was sentenced to imprisonment for life. Ramkee- 
run was released. 

In December, 1833, a gang of Megpunnas fell in with a man 
by name Cheyna, his wife, son, and two daughters, in the town 
of Furruknuggur in the Goorgow district, searching for em- 
ployment and subsistence. On the pretence that they could 
procure respectable service for the man, they prevailed upon 
the family to accompany them towards Delhie. 

They lodged at night under a large tree, near the village of 
Bugungee, where the mother, father, and son were murdered 
and their bodies buried. A part of the gang in the morning 
came back to a temple near the village of Sonah, with the two 
girls Peeamla and Sundulee, and after resting with them there 
for some hours, they put them into a bullock cart belonging to 
Rambuksh, one of the gang, and took them to Sonah, where 
they lodged them in the house of Gyana, a native woman of the 
Gojar caste, in the evening another woman of the same caste 
came and purchased the two girls from Rambuksh, for the sum 
of 100 rupees and took them home to her own house. 

The Jemadar of the Police Thanah of Sonah happened to 
pass the house of this woman the next morning in search of 
some goats, and seeing the two girls crying and sobbing at the 
door where he had never been in the habit of seeing girls be- 
fore, he asked them what distressed them. They told him that 
their parents had been murdered; and he took them forthwith 
to the Thana. Soon after, a man, by name Surooha, came up, 
recognized the girls, and stated, that he was the brother of their 
father, that he had come with the family to Furruknuggur in 
search of employment about two months before, and there 
left them to look for service, that some days before he went 
back, and learned from the people that the family had left the 



62 



town with some people of the Bhoguree caste some days before, 
and unable to trace them, he had come to the Thana to give 
information. 

The children were taken to the Magistrate of Goorgow, who 
secured the greater part of the gang, and sent the two children 
with the Thanadar, to the place where they had slept on the 
night that their parents were murdered. The children pointed 
out the spot under a large tree, and the people of the village 
of Bungungee told the Thanadar that they had seen such a 
party as the children described, lodging under the tree on the 
evening of the night they mentioned. Search was made for the 
bodies, and the grave in which they were buried was found 
with some few of the bones, but the greater part had been re- 
moved either by jackals, or by the members of the gang still at 
large, on hearing of the arrest of their associates. Many arti- 
cles of property belonging to the murdered persons w r ere found 
upon the gang, and recognized by the children and by their 
uncle ; and the case was tried by the Sessions Judge, and for- 
warded for revision and final orders to the Sudder Nizamut 
Adawlut at Allahabad. 

Five of the gang, Motee, Somaira, Lulloo, Jysook and Bhy- 
room, were sentenced to death, and executed on the 29th May, 
1834. Futteea and Umuree, two women, were sentenced to 
imprisonment for life ; four men were sentenced to six month's 
imprisonment, and to a further imprisonment of six months un- 
der a requisition of security for their future good behaviour, 
and eleven were acquitted and unconditionally released. Mo- 
tee, Lulloo and Bhyroom, three of the men hung, were sons of 
Umuree, one of the women sentenced to imprisonment for life. 
She had three other sons in the same gang, Roopla, Futteea 
and Jysook, and their father Dewas, who all continued to 
follow the same trade of murder. 

About the year 1831, a gang of Megpunnas fell in with a fa- 
mily, consisting of a man, his wife, and two young daughters, on 



63 



their way from Kuroulee to Delhie in search of service. The 
female members of this gang prevailed on this family to lodge 
with them the first night under some trees near the village of 
Sheergurh ; and the next day the family went on with the gang 
to a deserted village on the right bank of the Juinna. Here at 
night the mother and father were strangled and their bodies 
thrown into the river. The children were taken to the homes 
of the gang at Jhujjur, by Dheera and his wife, and there sold to 
Surbolund Khan, an officer in the service of the Nawab. He 
sent the two girls to his family in the village of Sumana. 

The rest of the gang went to the village of Goburdhun, near 
Muthura, where they fell in with a Mussulman and his wife, and 
two children, a boy and a girl, going to Delhie in search of ser- 
vice. They prevailed upon this family to return with them to- 
wards Jhujjur, promising to use their influence in procuring the 
man service with the Nawab. Passing through Furruknuggur, 
they encamped with this family on the other side of the town 
under some trees, and at night they strangled the two parents, 
tied their bodies up in cloths, carried them off to some dis- 
tance and buried them. The children were taken to Jhujjur 
where they were sold by Kheama, the principal leader of the 
gang, to Munnoo, an officer in the service of the Nawab, for 
sixty rupees. 

Lieutenant Mills had the following conversation with one 
of the two men, who described this last murder, Dheera. 

Q. You have stated in your various depositions that you in- 
variably preserve the children and sell them. Are you not 
afraid that these children will disclose the manner in which you 
got them, and thereby get you into trouble ? 

A. We invariably murder our victims at night, first taking 
the precaution to* put the children to sleep ; and in the morn- 
ing we tell them that we have purchased them from their pa- 
rents who have gone off and left them. 

Q. You seem to have been in the habit of selling children in 



64 



all parts of the country. How have you avoided being appre- 
hended ? 

A. The children are seldom aware of the fate of their pa- 
rents ; and in general we sell them to people very well ac- 
quainted with the nature of our proceedings. 

In the latter end of January, 1838, a gang of Megpunnas fell 
in with a man and his wife, Brahmins, with their two children, 
one five and the other six years of age, in the bazar of Sohun- 
put in the Delhie territory ; and under the usual pretence of 
using their influence to procure the man good service, they pre- 
vailed upon the family to accompany them towards the capital. 
The gang consisted of the three surviving sons of Dewa, whose 
brothers had been hung at Delhie, and their mother sentenced 
to imprisonment for life. Hoopla Jemadar and his two wives, 
Radha and Rookmunee, another woman named Manoo, Sahib 
Sing, Mohna, and another man named Roopla, the son of Sewa, 
going on to the banks of the Ganges, the mother and father were 
persuaded to go down to the river on some pretence or other, 
and they were there strangled by Roopla and Futteeah, two of 
the sons of Dewa, and the other Roopla assisted by his father 
Sewa. Their bodies were thrown into the river, and the next 
day the gang proceeded with the two children to Dutoulee, 
where they were all sold to Doomee Brinjarra, of that place, by 
Sahib Sing and Mohna, who had taken them from the rest at a 
valuation of forty rupees. Going on to Bhughut, the whole 
gang was some time after arrested by a party detached after 
them by Lieutenant Mills, before whom they all confessed. 

The two Rooplas described all the particulars of the'murder ; 
and the two wives of the leader described how they had been 
roused at midnight and persuaded to go down to the water's 
edge, and how the children had been disposed of afterwards. 
The former husband of Rookmunee, one of his wives,4iad with 
his mother and father been murdered in the same manner on a 
former occasion as already described. 



65 



About the year 1830, a gang of Megpunnas under Khema 
and others, fell in at Muthura, with a family consisting of a man, 
his wife, their two sons, and a daughter, searching for employ- 
ment and subsistence ; and on the usual pretence of using their 
influence to get them service among their friends, they prevail- 
ed upon them to accompany them towards that city. They 
strangled the mother, father, and eldest son at night, near a tem- 
ple outside the town of Furruknuggur, and buried their bodies 
in two pits dug for the purpose. In the morning they lighted 
a fire over each of the two graves to efface all signs, and then 
proceeded with the youngest of the sons and the girl to Jhuj- 
jur, where the girl was sold by Amree, who is now in the Del- 
hie jail, to Alee Khan Russaldar, for sixty rupees, and the boy 
was sold by Khema to some other person. 

The first Confession of Khema, alias Nursing Dass, a Jemadar 
of Thugs, taken in my presence on the 1st September, 1838. 

My real name is Kheama, but I have assumed that of Nur- 
sing Dass, my caste was formerly a Naek, and now a Byragee, or 
religious mendicant, in which disguise I inveigle travellers; my 
family formerly resided at the village of Khirnee, in the Jei- 
pore states, and have been Dacoits and Thugs for some gene- 
rations. 

Malum Sing, my great grand-father, was a Dacoit, and used to 
commit Dacoitee with Rughoonauth Sing, resident of Lama; he 
had formerly 60 sirwars; Show Sing and Banee Sing, were all 
Dacoits, and used also to accompany Rughoonauth. My grand- 
father went to Mooltaun, where he became a servant of Mohur- 
rum Sing, a Mooltaunee Brinjarra, and learnt from him the 
system of Thuggee, as well as. the language now used by our 
gangs. He remained some time in Mooltaun and then return- 
ed home and instructed his son Maun Sing in the use of the 
Roomaul, after which he went back to Mooltaun and died 
there. Show Sing, my father, had become expert in the use of 
the Roomaul on the death of his father, and was in the habit of 

i 



66 



going on expeditions with Motee Sing, and other men of the 
Bawurree caste. About forty years ago, I arrived at the years of 
discretion and was forthwith initiated by my father into the art 
of gaining a livelihood by murdering travellers with the Roo- 
maul, or handkerchief, and went on an expedition with a gang 
of Thugs called the Totakallbailee or Supairawallas, who are 
a class of men that carry about snakes and perform all kinds of 
tricks with them. 

The following are the names of the principal Jemadars whom 
I was in the habit of going on Thuggee with. 

Motee Sing Bowree, who had a gang of twenty men. 

Bhuwanee Sing, ditto fifteen ditto. 

Geean Sing Rajpoot, ditto twenty ditto. 

Choteea, ditto twenty ditto. 

Show Sing, my father, had a gang of fifteen men, who, with 
the above Jemadars and their gangs, murdered eighteen trea- 
sure bearers near Boondee in Kotah, but I was not present on 
this occasion, and cannot give the full particulars of it. I heard, 
however, that several of the gang were arrested after this mur- 
der, and fourteen were blown away from a gun. 

After this affair, I and eleven of the gang left the Jeipore 
states, and became a disciple of Alik Ram's, and adopted the 
disguise of a religious mendicant. Alik Ram bestowed on me a 
standard and a nukkara, or drum, which induced others to join 
me, since which I have carried on the trade of Thuggee. 

After the capture of Bhurtpore, Nanoo Sing Brinjarra, and 
four other Byragees, residents of Kurroulee, came to me with 
four travellers, and their four children, and invited me to parti- 
cipate in their murder, which I consented to, and with the as- 
sistance of my gang, we strangled the whole of them, preserv- 
ing the lives of the children w r hom we sold at Jeipore for 120 
rupees, half of which was divided amongst the members of my 
gang. After this affair, I resolved on selecting for my victims 
the poorest class of travellers, and murdering them for their 
children, for whom there was so great a demand in all the great 



67 



cities ; since which I have committed the following murders, the 
particulars of which I will detail as I may remember. 

Q. From whom did you learn the language made use of by 
your gangs, and define your technical terms for the following 
words ? 

A, I learnt it from my ancestors, and will give every informa- 
tion in my power regarding our language, which we call Phar- 
see. 



Child, 


Jonkula, or Khontura. 


Female child, 


Jonkulee, or Khonturee. 


Traveller, 


Kour. 


A Family of travellers, 


Taiwa. 


A Poney, 


Bugeela. 


A Horse, 


Kharka. 


A Mare, 


Kharkee. 


A Bullock, 


Koupura. 




Rankuree. 


A Camel, 


Lungoda. 


A Rupee, 


Goona, alias Karra. 


A Gold-mohur, 


Than, alias Khor. 


A Pice, 


Joda. 


A Necklace, or Huslee, 


Taglee. 


Ear-rings, 


Koorkee. 


A Nose Ornament (Nuthnee,) 


Nukeelee. 


Clothes, 


Kapka. 


Bracelets, 


Kotanka Nugaila. 


Cooking Utensils, 


Chunka, 


Numerical Numbers. 


One, 


Ek. 


Two, 


Durroo. 


Three, 


Turroo. 


Four, 


Churroo. 


Five, 


Chaudroo. 


Six, 


Churroo* 



12 



68 



Seven, 

Eight, 

Nine, 

Ten, 

Eleven, 

Twelve, 

Thirteen, 

Twenty, 

Thirty, 

Forty, 

Fifty, 

Sixty, 

Hundred, 

Two Hundred, 

The Roomaul or handkerchief 
used in strangling travellers, 

A strangler who uses the Roo- 
maul, 

To look out for travellers, 

Thuggee, 
An Inveigler, 
A poor traveller, 
A man, 
A woman, 

This traveller has considerable 

property, 
Ditto ditto ditto, 

Property, 

Dont allow your traveller to 

escape, 
He has escaped, 
A bag of money, 



Satroo. 

Atkulloo. 

Nurroo. 

Dusroo. 

Girroo. 

Baproo. 

Eak Bubabroo. 

Cheep. 

Dairee. 

Ralliss. 

Ruchass. 

Raat. 

Beekur. 

Durroo Reekuree. 
Khalleepra. 
Lughar Dass. 

Megpunna ko choong lho or 

thaum lho. 
Megpunna. 
Maigha. 

Khalee khomch. 

Kulma. 

Kulmee. 

Iss khulma kee runnee puk- 
heela buhoot hai. 

Iss kour kannee chumall bu- 
hoot hai. 

Chumall. 

Thanga dauluggee oon cheep- 

wamut dejouna. 
Chotwa. 
Chouklee. 



As 



69 



A strangler, 
To murder, 

To seize the hands of travel- 
lers, 

To seize the feet, 

The man who seizes the hands 

of the travellers, 
The feet, 
The head, 
The throat, 
The hands, 
The belly, 
The eyes, 
The tongue, 
The mouth, 
A dead body, 

Place the body on your head, 

A dry well, , 

A well with water in it, 

A donkey, 

The earth, 

The kussee, or pick-axe, 

A scout placed on the road 
when the gang intend mur- 
dering travellers, 

The carrier of the dead body, 

The expression used by the 
scouts to let the gang know 
of the approach of travellers, 

The expression made use of by 
the scouts to let the gang 
know every thing is safe, 

To sleep, 

To awake, 

Awake such a person, 



Khulleepur dass. 
Lugharna. 
Kote kupurna, 

Chank kupurna. 
Kotteea. 

Chaukeea. 

Thannee. 

Nurma. 

Kote. 

Jour. 

Chorkuttee. 
Lallkee. 
Khundroo. 
Katkee. 

Katkee tameeapur dhur lho. 

Chursaira reekhai. 

Ditto narkho. 

Chumailla. 

Rainee. 

Kussailla. 

Suwailla. 



Rumailla. 

Dans ooree hae ya mukkhee. 
Mukkhee ooree hae. 



Purrola. 

Khopo. 

Kohokurlao. 



70 



Expression used by the gang 
in communicating to each 
other, the travellers have 
awoke from their sleep, 

An expression used by the Je- 
madars to put the gang on 
the alert, 

One of the signals for murder- 
ing travellers, 

Whom shall we murder first, 

A sword, 

A shield, 

A gun, 

A spear, 

A knife, 

A stick, or latthee, 
A charpoy, 
A bow and arrows, 
A Brahmin traveller, 
A Mussulman ditto, 
A Rajpoot ditto, 



Baet ja ganja soolfa pie be. 



Khulleepra dass ya lughar dass 
aao soolfa pee lho. 

Oot bhaee highar chouko. 

Bhaipaila dum koan lugawaga. 

Darratee. 

Kaplee. 

Dawallee. 

Khoproo, alias Buttanee. 

Bailree. 

Kattanee. 

Sallaree. 

Surkundee. 

Thamna. 

Tothroo. 

Koodee, alias Tuttee. 
Jalleea. 



A palankeen bearer, 

Q. Do you worship any Goddess ? 

A. Yes, Kallee, and we always make an offering to her be- 
fore opening an expedition and sacrifice a goat in her name in 
the following way. We get a light and throw ghee and some 
frankincense upon it, which the Jemadar takes in his hands and 
places it on the goat's head, and he then takes some rice and 
throws it also on the head of the goat, which, if he should move, 
the omens are deemed propitious, and the Lughar Dass, or 
stranglers, rise up and slay off the head of the animal which is 
presented to Kallee, and the Jemadar marks the forehead of all 
the members of the gang with its blood, and the omens are 
deemed favourable for the opening of the expedition. 

Should the goat, on the contrary, not move its head when the 



71 

rice, &c. is thrown upon it, the omens are deemed unfavour- 
able and nothing would induce us to go on an expedition. We 
feast on the flesh of the goat after sacrificing it, if the omens 
have been pronounced favourable. 

After the sacrifice of the goat in the name of the Goddess 
(Kallee) we observe the call of the partridge and the jackal. 
If the partridge calls on the left, and then on the right, we con- 
sider it favourable, and call it the omen of Daoo, and immedi- 
ately commence an expedition. While on the contrary, if the 
partridge should only call from the right or left, we deem it un- 
favourable and defer our departure. 

The call of the jackal on the left is considered propitious, and 
on the right the contrary. The call of the jackass on the right 
is also pronounced to be favourable, as well as a deer crossing 
from left to right, and if reversed, the contrary. 

Q. Do you make any offering to the kussee or pick-axe ? 

A. Yes, we place it before the light which we consider sa- 
cred, and after covering it over with sweetmeats and frankin- 
cense, offer up our prayers to it. 

Q. What caste do you call the Naeks ? 

A. They were originally Rajpoots, and trace their origin 
from a village in the Jeipore states called Khirnee, where Ram- 
chunder quarrelled with Purrusram, a great man of the Rajpoot 
caste, and put to death every one he could find of that caste, 
which induced the people to adopt that of Chumar, Naek, &c. 

Q. How many clans are the Naeks divided into ? 

A. Chowrassee, or eighty-four. The names of those I recol- 
lect are, 

Rajawuth, 
Bhutteeae, 
Rattour. 

Q. Relate the men you may be acquainted with, who follow 
the trade of Thuggee ? 

A. Mohun Sing, caste Bawurree, son of Motee Sing, resident 



72 



of Kalamang near Rajghur, who has a gang of fifteen men, and 
was present with me at Kotah and at other affairs. 

Bowdree Sing Jemadar, son of Ooday Sing, caste Rajpoot, 
who has a gang of twenty men. 

Sewa Sing, age 40, caste Rajpoot. 

Luchmun Sing, „ 40, ditto. 

Khan Sing. , 

Ooday Sing, „ 50. 

Hookoom Sing. 

Bay Sing, „ 45. 

Maun Sing, Brinjarra, resident of Nannooa, in the Jeipore 
states, who has a gang of fifty Thugs. 

Namroo Sing, Brinjarra, son of Ooday Sing, resident of See- 
kur in the Jeipore states, and has a gang of one hundred men. 

Deeannauth Jogee, son of Totanauth, resident in the Jeipore 
states, has a gang of one hundred men. 

Bichaonauth Jogee, son of Mauneenauth, resident in the Jei- 
pore states, has a gang of one hundred men. 

Totanauth Jogee, age 30, son of Kurrucknauth, residing 
in the Jeipore states, has a gang of fifty men. 

Deara Jemadar, age 60, caste Naek, resident of Lenghana 
in the Jeipore states, has a gang of twenty men. 

Q. When do you consider a man capable of using the Khal- 
leepra or handkerchief? 

A. After a Thug has been on two or three expeditions, and 
we find him a clever expert youth, he generally entreats to be 
instructed in the use of it, which is done in the following way. 
A part of the gang go into the jungle, and spread a cloth on 
the ground, upon which they place a light and the Ungoocha 
or Khalleepra or Roomaul in front of it ; they then throw some 
ghee and other frankincense on the lamp, and if it should blaze 
freely, the omens are deemed propitious, and the Khalleepra is 
given to the Lughar Dass, who receives in general an extra ru- 
pee for the duties of his office. 

(Signed) C. E. MILLS. 



r 



vkc *»as Mown, ccmkuj 




& large, Moo&tlr RaAJuv 



T/wfrl/owiryu a, Gmuityual Tubk-of tktduead of<ny fa/niLj asfarcujretnvnler. 




73 



The first Confession of Gopaul Dass, son of Khema, Jemadar 
of Thugs, resident of the Jeipore states, by profession a Thug, 
taken in my presence on the 22d of August, 1838. 

Q. From whom did you learn the crime of Thuggee ? 

A. From my parents, who have been Thugs for many gene- 
rations. 

Q. What do you understand by Thuggee, and what term 
have you for it in your own language ? 

A. We call it Lugar Dass, which signifies murdering travel- 
lers with a handkerchief. 

Q. Relate the murders you may have committed after your 
release from Muttra ? 

A. I left my home at Karr, in the Muttra district, with a 
gang of 20 or 25 Thugs, under Gurreeb Dass Jemadar, and we 
reached Goburdhun by the usual stages, where Gurreeb Dass 
succeeded in inveigling eight travellers, viz. four men and four 
women of the Hindoo caste, and eight of their children, and 
persuaded them to accompany us. Passing through Shahpore, we 
reached Belochepore in three or four days, where we encamp- 
ed in a garden. During the night Gurreeb Dass invited the tra- 
vellers to smoke the hookah, and gave the following signal to 
the stranglers, " Kappree-ka-lee-lughar-girro," which signifies, 
murder them with your roomauls, and the eight travellers were 
strangled. 

We threw their bodies into the river, and the following 
morning proceeded with their eight children to Buncharee, to 
theHarrol Thana, where Byroom Kotwal, my uncle, left the 
gang with two children for Delhie, and the remainder of the 
gang, with six children, went to the village of Bhoora in the dis- 
trict of the Paloundee chief, who, hearing of our arrival, or- 
dered us all to be sent to Paloundee, and took the children 
away from us, and asked us the price of them, which we said 
was 150 Rupees, and he then sent his sepahees to take the 
whole of the children away from us, and confined us for four 
months, and afterwards gave us our release, instructing us not 

J 



74 



to communicate to any one the particulars of our arrest After 
getting my release, I returned home. 

Q. Do you think the Paloundee chief has now the children 
he took away from you ? 

A. Yes. 

Q. Do you know what became of the children Bhyroom took 
with him to Delhie ? 
A. I cannot say. 

Q. Describe the appearance of the people you murdered ? 

A. 1st. One man of the Jat caste about forty years old ; ano- 
ther thirty years ; a third about twenty-five years, and a fourth 
about twenty years. One woman, about twenty years old ; two 
about twenty-five years, and the fourth, thirty-five years. A de- 
scription of the children plundered : — 



1st. A female child about 12 years old. 


2d. ditto 


?> 


10 ditto. 


3d. ditto 


>> 


8 ditto. 


4th. ditto 


99 


9 ditto. 


5th. ditto 


99 


6 ditto. 


6th, A boy 


99 


8 ditto. 


7th. ditto 


99 


6 ditto. 


8th. ditto 


99 


6 ditto. 



Q. State the names of those who were apprehended by the 
Paloundee chief? 

A. Deponent, Teeloka Naek, Byroom Naek, and Nynsook, 
who came to see us when in jail. 

Q. Can you state the names of the sepahees who were on 
sentry over you ? 

A. Himmutt, (a lame man,) Seadha, and the name of the 
officer of the guard was Elaheebux Jemadar. 

Second Coxfessi^ 
After my rele-se from the Muttra jail about three years ago, 
I i AA -an \ I 'he parents at Goburdhun, the particulars of which 
are detailed a my former deposition. After which I went out 



T5 



with my father Khema Jemadars gang, the particulars of which 
are as follows : 

We forming a gang of twenty-four men and women, left our 
village in the Muttra district, and proceeded to Goburdhun, by 
the usual stages, where the mother of Jogee Dass won the con- 
fidence of two travellers and their four children, two male and 
two female ; one about eight years old, and the other a boy in 
arms, and brought them to our encampment. 

The following morning we continued our journey with the 
above family and reached Biswassee, near Kote Kassim, in ten 
days, where we encamped, and after dinner my father, Khema 
Jemadar, directed the Lughar Dass to be prepared with their 
handkerchiefs, and then gave the signal when the two travellers 
were strangled by Bhoora, at large, and Salig Dass, at large. 

After they were dead, I, Jankee Dass, Salig Dass, Bhooree, 
Jewun Dass, Hookuma Brinjarra, Byroom Brinjarra, Mungla 
Brinjarra, Tiloka Naek, and Sooja, took the two bodies up, and 
carried them to a nullah about two coss distant, where they were 
buried. We passed some days at Biswassee after this murder, 
and Edoo, a prostitute of Rewarree, came to the gang and pur- 
chased two of the children, and another was given to the bro- 
ther of Kassim Khan of Kote Kassim ; after which we returned 
to Gobindgurh. 

Q. Can you disinter the remains of these two travellers ? 

A. Yes. 

Q. Do you think Edoo has still the two children belonging 
to the two travellers ? 
A. Yes. 

Q. Relate the names of the Thugs concerned in this murder ? 
A. Khema Naek, father of deponent, in jail. 
Ruttun Dass, son of Khema Jemadar, brother of deponent, 
in jail. 

Gunga, wife of Davee Dass. 

Davee Dass, in jail. 

Buck tee, wife of Khema, in jail. 

J 2 



76 



Radha, wife of Davee Dass, in jail. 
Byroom, Kotwall, brother of Khema Jemadar. 
Gurreeb Dass, son of Chyn Dass, and nephew of Khema Je- 
madar. 

Saiga, nephew of Khema Jemadar, son of Choitun. 

Lalla Naek, at large. 

Chenganath, alias Chunga, in jail. 

Jankee Dass, \ brother of Alkha, \ ^ force 
Bhoora Naek, J in jail, J & 

Chutter Dass Naek, brother of Jankee Dass, at large. 

Sooja Naek, at large. 

Tiloke Naek, ditto. 

Hookuma Brinjarra, adopted by Daoo Brinjarra. 

Kalleea, age 25, Brinjarra. 

Byroom „ 40, ditto. 

Mungha, „ 22, ditto. 

The wife of Lalla. 

Geeanee, the wife of Jankee Dass. 

Ramla Naek, daughter of Byroom Jemadar. 

Suroopee, wife of Sewa, in jail. 

Rooree, wife of Gurreeb Dass, ditto. 

Radha, the adopted wife of Saiga. 

Q. What may be your technical term for a grave, and the 
dead body of a traveller ? 

A. The former we call Chursaida, and the latter Kallkee. 
Kalkee chumair dho, signifies, place the body in the grave. 

(True Translation.) 
(Signed) C. E. MILLS, 

A. G. S. 

Third Confession. 
About ten months ago I left my home at Gobindgurh, with 
a gang of six or seven Thugs, and a Hindoo woman about forty 
years of age, and her two children, whom I inveigled from the 
Gobindgurh bazar, and prevailed on her to accompany us to 
a village about three coss distant, where we all encamped in a 



77 



temple. In the evening I and two or three others of the gang 
went to the Zemindar of the village, and asked him to give us 
some wood to burn the body of one of our relations that had 
died. The Zemindar replied, that they would assist us in in- 
terring the remains, which I communicated to the gang on my 
return, upon which Pudma Jemadar gave the signal to the Lu- 
ghar Dass, or strangler, and she was instantly murdered by 
Shewlall Brinjarra ; we buried her body in the temple, and 
the following day proceeded with her two children to a village 
a short distance off, and sent to call Saijoo Brinjarra, who pur- 
chased them from Gurreeb Dass, and after dividing the spoils, 
we all separated and returned home. I received six rupees as 
my share. 

Q. Can you produce the remains of the woman ? 
A. Yes, I can. 

Fourth Confession. 

About eight months ago I left my home at Gobindgurh, in 
company with four or five Thugs, and proceeded to Karr, and 
from thence to Gobindgurh ; leaving that place on the Goton- 
dee road, we met four travellers of the Alwar caste, viz. one man, 
one woman, and their two children, whom we prevailed on to 
accompany us to a village near Gopaulgurh, where we sent a 
man to my father at Gobindgurh for some more Thugs, who 
directed Byroom Jemadar, Rama, Chutter Dass, and Lalla, 
to join us, which they did in the course often days ; after their 
arrival Pudma Jemadar gave the order to the Lughar Dass, and 
they were strangled by Luchee Brinjarra, Kulleean Brinjarra, 
and Byroom. The bodies of the' two elderly travellers were 
carried a short distance off and interred, and that of the woman 
was thrown into a hole. 

The following morning we continued our journey with the 
two children, and arrived in the course of eight or ten days at 
Raepore, where we sold them to Saijoo Brinjarra for 40 rupees, 
and then returned to our homes. 



78 



Q. Can you disinter the remains of these bodies ? 
A. Yes. 

Fifth Confession. 

I left my village at Karr, in the Muttra district, and proceed- 
ed to Deeg, where I met the gangs of Kaner Dass and Tool- 
see Dass (in jail) assembled, whom I joined, and found that 
they had inveigled into their company a woman about thirty 
years old, with her three children, whom they invited me to as- 
sist in murdering. 

We accordingly left with the woman and her family, and 
went to a village about two coss from Deeg, which we reached 
late in the evening, and after dinner Toolsee Dass gave the 
following signal to the Lughar Dass, " Lughar lho," and the 
woman was instantly strangled by Bheema Brinjarra, afterwards 
I, Kaner Dass, and several others went to the Zumindars of the 
village and told them we had lost one of our relations, and wish- 
ed to purchase some wood to burn her body, which they gave 
us, and we returned to our encampment and burnt the body of 
the woman that night. After this we continued our march to the 
village of Kama, where Motee and Ghassee inveigled another 
woman and her three children, and brought her to our encamp- 
ment. The following morning we took this family to a small vil- 
lage about two coss from Kama, and murdered the woman and 
her eldest daughter that night. The stranglers were Beeja and 
Mungula. 

After burning their bodies we returned to our former encamp- 
ment, and then went to Beeana with the whole of the children, 
and sent a man to call Saijoo Brinjarra, who purchased two male 
and three females from Toolsee Dass, Kaner Dass, and Gurreeb 
Dass. I received only two rupees as my share, and then return- 
ed home. 

Sixth Confession. 
About four or five months ago I, Gurreeb Dass, and others 
were living at Gobindgurh, and Mankee, the wife of Jewa Dass, 
inveigled from that bazar an old woman and her daughter, 



79 



about eleven years of age, of the Hindoo caste, and brought 
them to our house, and after passing some days with us, we, 
forming a gang of ten or twelve, left Gobindgurh in their com- 
pany and proceeded to Hursoulee Monpurree, a village about 
two coss from Gobindgurh, where we encamped in a temple, 
and then went to the Zemindars of the village and requested 
them to contribute some wood for the purpose of burning the 
body of our relation, which they did, and we returned to the 
temple where the gang were encamped ; during the night we 
awoke the old woman, and Gurreeb Dass Jemadar gave the 
signal to the Lughar Dass, to be prepared with the roomaul, and 
she was instantly strangled by Luchmun Dass. 

The following morning we continued our journey with the 
daughter of the murdered woman, and sold her to Nuthun Brin- 
jarra for sixteen rupees ; after this we returned to our homes. 

Seventh Confession. 

About a year ago, I and my gang won the confidence of 
three Brahmin travellers en route from Kotah to Muttra, and pro- 
ceeded with them to Sikree, where we all passed the day and 
then continued our march. The following morning, after hav- 
ing gone about a coss and a half from Sikree, we put up for the 
day at a village three coss from Kama. In the evening Gur- 
reeb Dass gave the signal, and two of the travellers were strang- 
led by deponent and Jawahir Dass. We buried the body of 
the woman and threw that of the man down in the jungle. 

After this we all went to Nuggur with the remaining female 
traveller. I then took her with me to my home at Gobind- 
gurh, and after passing some days there, I went with her to 
Jeipore and sold her to Gungaram Jat, resident of Jeipore, who 
parted with her again to Lalloo, a prostitute of that place. 

The following is a description of the travellers who were 
murdered : — 

1st. Brahmin, about thirty years of age, a male traveller. 
2d. Ditto, female, forty ditto. 



80 



The female Brahmin traveller, whom I sold at Jeipore, was 
the wife of the Brahmin whom we murdered. 

Eighth Confession. 
About eleven months ago, after my return from Jeipore, I re- 
mained about a month at my home, and then left on another 
Thuggee expedition. We arrived at Nuggur by the usual 
stages, and there inveigled an old woman and her three daugh- 
ters, whom we prevailed on to accompany us to the village of 
Pucharee, in the Jeipore states, which we reached in two or 
three days. 

After leaving that village, we came to some nullahs, where 
Pudma Jemadar gave the signal, and the old woman and her 
eldest daughter were strangled by Newul Dass and Jeeta. We 
threw their bodies into a nullah, and took her two children with 
us to Jeipore, one of whom was sold to Bridgelall, and another 
to Saijoo, Brinj arras, for ten rupees. 

Q, Did you get any property from these travellers ? 

A. No. 

Q. Can you disinter the remains of these victims ? 
A. No, they were thrown down in the jungle and discovered 
by the police. 

Ninth Confession. 
About eight or nine months ago, or during the Hooly festi- 
val, Chanda and Nurba, two men of the Naek caste, residents of 
Gheejgurh, in the Jeipore states, and Toolsee Dass, GungaDass, 
and Ghasee, residents of Deeg, came to my home at Gobind- 
gurh, and informed me of the dispatch of some treasure bearers 
who were going from Rajghur to Sikree, and I sent back Chan- 
da and Nurba to Rajghur to find out the day of their departure, 
who did not return agreeable to their promise, and Toolsee Dass 
and Gunga Dass returned to their homes at Deeg ; and a few 
days after these two men left, Chanda and Nurba brought us 
intelligence of the arrival of the treasure carriers, whom we 
prevailed on to smoke at our house at Gobindgurh, and then 



81 



a party of us left in his company and murdered him in a water 
course, about two coss west of Gobindgurh, and carried his 
body a short distance off and buried it in a nullah. We got 
from him 494 Rajgurh rupees, of which I received 74 rupees. 

Q. Can you exhume the body of this traveller ? 

A. No. " 

Toolsee and Gunga Dass came and demanded a share of the 
plunder, but I assured them that I had not murdered the trea- 
sure bearer, who was dispatched by a Mahajun from Sikree in 
the Bhurtpore states, the particulars of which will now be learnt 
by reference to the local authorities at Sikree. 

(Signed) C. E. MILLS, 

A. G. S. 



The first Confession of Geean Dass, son of Aundadoond Je- 
madar, caste Naek, resident of Jowlee, taken in my presence on 
the 3d of September, 1838. 

Q. How many sons has your father Aundadoond Jemadar ? 

A. By his first marriage he had two sons, Chutter Dass and 
myself, and by the second marriage Ghassee, Gopaul, and Go- 
bind. 

Q. How many brothers had Aundadoond Jemadar, &c. 
A. One Gopaul Dass, who is dead. 

Q. How many of your brothers follow the trade of Thuggee ? 
A. Gobind and Chutter Dass. 

Q. From whom did you learn the system of Thuggee ? 

A. I left my home at Jowlee and went to Gobindgurh, where 
I found the gangs of Khema and Jewan Jemadars, who in- 
structed me in the use of the Roomaul or Khalleepra, and asked 
me to accompany their gangs on a Thuggee expedition, which 
I consented to, and we, passing through Ulwar, encamped in a 
jungle a short distance off, and deputed five Thugs to go in 
search of travellers, who joined us shortly afterwards with two 

K 



82 



elderly travellers and their four children, who spent the day 
with us, and in the evening the parents of the children were 
prevailed upon to accompany a party of Thugs to a convenient 
place for their murder, and strangled by Jawahir Dass and Bal- 
luck Dass. We carried their bodies to a nullah called Nuddee, 
about two fields from our encampment, and threw them into it ; 
the four children of the murdered people were sold to a Brinjar- 
ra, at Raepore, for 40 rupees, by Sewa Dass, Joda Dass, Salig 
Dass, and Khema Dass, of which I received 1 Rupee as my 
share. 

Q. How many daughters had Aundadoond Jemadar ? 

A. One, named Rookma, who was married to Luchmun Dass. 

Second Confession. 

After my return from my first expedition, I remained some 
time at home, and then left Jowlee with a gang of ten men 
and women for Goburdhun, and not succeeding in finding any 
travellers there, we returned via Ghatandee, where Hurree Sing, 
(a prisoner in jail,) induced us to remain, while he went back 
to Gobindgurh in quest of travellers. He rejoined us the fol- 
lowing day with a family consisting of one man, one woman, 
and six children ; when he arrived, we concealed ourselves in 
the jungle, and afterwards introduced ourselves to them and 
prevailed on them to accompany us to the village of Iklaira/ 
and encamped about a coss from it in a northerly direction. 

In the evening, we availed ourselves of a favourable opportu- 
nity for our designs, and murdered the two elderly travellers, 
and three of their children, who were not of a sufficient age to 
dispose of ; the bodies of these five victims were taken . up by 
Mohun Dass, Hurree Sing, Joda, Luchmun Dass, and thrown 
into a dry well about one coss north of the village of Iklaira, 
which is about one coss from the city of Deeg. The three 
other children belonging to the murdered people were sold to 
Nuthoo and Byroom Brinjarras, for 15 rupees, of which I 
received 7 annas as my share. 



83 



Third Confession. 

After my last expedition, I remained some time at my home 
and then left on another Thuggee expedition with the gang 
of Salig Dass, who won the confidence of a female traveller 
and her three children, and prevailed on them to pass the day 
with us at Nuggur, and the following morning we took them 
to a deserted village, and the female traveller and one of her 
children were murdered that night by Jowahir Dass and Salig 
Dass; we carried their bodies to a well about half a coss east of 
the village and threw them into it. 

The two remaining female children of the murdered travel- 
ler, we took with us to a village north of Nuggur, and sold them 
to two Brinj arras named Beerbull and Motee, of which I re- 
ceived 6 annas as my share. 

Q. Can you point out the well in which you threw the bo- 
dies ? 

A. Yes. 

Fourth Confession. 

After my return from the last expedition, I remained two 
months at home and then left my house at Jowlee on another 
expedition. On our arrival at Nuggur, we were joined by five 
other Thugs, and Hurree Sing Brinj arra succeeded in winning 
the confidence of two travellers, one male and one female, and 
their three children, who were prevailed on to accompany 
us to Jonatra in the Bhurtpore states, which we reached in 
three days, and encamped at a small village about a coss from 
Jonatra. In the evening we murdered the two elderly tra- 
vellers, and one of their children, who was too old to dispose of; 
their bodies were carried away by Hurree Sing, approver, and 
Luchmun, and thrown into a well, and the two remaining chil- 
dren of the murdered people were sold to Motee and Beerbul 
for 16 rupees, of which I received 7 annas as my share. 

Q. Can you point out these bodies ? 

A. Yes. 

K2 



84 



Fifth Confession. 

After my return from the last expedition. I remained some 
days at my home at Jowlee, and then left with a gang of ten 
men on another expedition ; we arrived at the city of Luchmun- 
gurh, and from the bazar of that place, Hurlall won the confi- 
dence of a male traveller and his two children, whom we pre- 
vailed on to accompany us to the village of Biswassee in the 
Jeipore states, and the following day to the ghat of Jamroulee ; 
in the evening the elderly traveller and his son were strangled 
by Salig Dass and Luchmun Dass ; the bodies of the travellers 
were carried a short distance and thrown down in a jungle; 
after which we returned with the remaining child to Ulwur and 
sold her to Bhuppoo Brinjarra, at Raepore, for 16 Rupees. We 
got from these travellers some cooking utensils and a poney. 

The poney belonging to these travellers died from starvation. 

I have now related the particulars of every murder I have 
been concerned in, excepting the one perpetrated in my father 
Aundadoond Jemadar's house at Jowlee, the particulars of 
which I have previously detailed. 

(True Translation.) 

(Signed) C. E. MILLS, 

Asst. Genh Supt. 



The Confession of Geean Dass, son of Aundadoond Jema- 
dar, taken in my presence on the 17th September, 1838. 

About eight or nine months ao-o, I left mvhome at Jowlee, w T ith 
a gang of fifteen men on a Megpunna expedition, and we reach- 
ed Kumair in three days, where Mungalee, Sewa Dass, Doon- 
ga, and his mother, inveigled from that bazar two travellers, 
one male and one female, and their two children, one twelve 
years of age, and the other ten, of the Jat caste, and they after- 
wards succeeded in winning the confidence of two travellers of 
the mallee caste and their two children, and brought them to 



85 



our encampment. The following morning we prevailed on them 
to accompany us to a village five coss from Kumair, called 
Bhagwalla, where we passed the night ; early the following 
morning we continued our journey, and passed the day in a 
jungle near the village of Nunbur. In the night I awoke the two 
Jat travellers and gave the signal (Lughar lho) to the Lughar 
Dass, and they were strangled by Dhooma and Mungulee. 
After disposing of these, w r e awoke the two mallee travellers, 
and they were strangled by Mohun and Luchee. The bodies 
were carried a short distance off and thrown into a well which I 
can point out. 

We returned with their children to Jowlee, and a few days 
afterwards sold three of them to Chuttroo Jat, resident of Jub- 
booa, and the remaining child to Beerbull Brinjarra, for ten 
rupees, which were divided amongst the gang. 

Q. Can you disinter these bodies ? 

A. Yes. 

(True Translation.) 

' (Signed) C. E. MILLS, 

Asst. Genl Sapt. 



The first Confession of Mahakoor, alias Radha, the adopted 
wife of Salig Ram, a Jemadar of Thugs, nephew of Khema Je- 
madar, daughter of Choitun Sing Jat, resident of Subbapore in 
the Bhurtpore states, taken in my presence on the 17th August, 
1838. 

About nine years ago I, my mother, father, and four bro- 
thers, named 

Hurbbujjun, about 15 or 16 years of age, 
Lulloo, ditto 7 ditto, 
Hurdaio, ditto 5 ditto, and 
Geerawur, 

left our homes in a bullock cart with the intention of proceed- 



86 



ina to Hansie. On our arrival at Dunkour in the Bulundshuhur 
district, we went to a bunneea's shop, and on our return a party 
of Brinj arras and Byragees came to our encampment and pre- 
vailed on us to accompany them, which we did, and after spend- 
ing the evening with them, we agreed to continue our march 
with them in the morning, and passed the next night on the 
banks of the Jumna. Umree, one of the gang, took me and 
my two brothers Hurdaia and Lulloo away from our parents, 
and on awaking the following morning, we lost all traces of them, 
and when we inquired after them, the members of the gang 
beat us and threatened to murder us if we made a noise. 

The next day the gang took me to Haupper, and from thence 
to Xyashuhur, where I was shown to some Gypsies, but they 
did not offer a sufficient sum for me, and I was made over to 
Khema Jemadar, and my two brothers were delivered to Kirpa 
Jemadar, who sold them for a pair of silver bracelets and some 
money, and I was afterwards disposed of to Sallga, a nephew of 
Khema Jemadar, whom I have lived with since the murder of 
my parents. 

Remarks, 

This woman's parents having been all murdered by Thugs, I 
have admitted her as an evidence, and taken her deposition on 
oath. 

(Signed) C. E. MILLS, 

Asst. Ge?iL Supt. 

Second Confession. 
Q. Relate the particulars of the murder of the two women at 
Jowlee ? 

. A. About eight months ago, Hurree Sing, Mohun Dass, 
and Gobind Dass, won the confidence of a Jatnee and her 
three children, and Saligram, my adopted husband, inveigled a 
Fakeernee woman and her three children, and the latter was 
brought to the house of my adopted husband, and the former to 
the house of Aundadoond Jemadar, and after passing three 



87 



days with them, they were both murdered. One of the children 
belonging to the Jatnee woman was given to the mother of Mo- 
han Dass, and I do not know what became of the others. 

The three children of the Fakeernee woman were sold by 
my husband Saligram, to Khoshala Brinjarra. 

Q. Did you ever attempt to make your escape after the mur- 
der of your parents from Saligram who adopted you ? 

A. Yes, I attempted to run away from him, but was always 
prevented. 

Q. Have you ever accompanied your husband on a Thuggee 
expedition ? 

A. No, but I was present at the murder of the Fakeernee 
woman in Aundadoond's house at Jowlee, who was strangled 
in my presence by my adopted husband, and her body was car- 
ried away by him and Hurree Sing. 

Q. Did you not feel any compunction in witnessing these 
acts of murder ? 

A. Yes, I did, but I had no opportunity of getting away. 

Q. Has your adopted husband any other occupation but 
murdering travellers for their children ? 

A. None. 

Q. Does he ever return from an expedition with consider- 
able property ? 

A. No, never more than is requisite for his maintenance. 

Q. How many children do you suppose he has attained, by 
murdering their parents since you have been with him ? 

A. I should say about twenty. 

Q. What may be the occupation of the Thugs' wives, who 
accompany them on expeditions ? 

A. They generally inveigle the female travellers and take 
their families with them for that purpose. 

(True Translation.) 
(Signed) C. E. MILLS, Asst. Genl Supt 

(True Copy.) 
(Signed) C. E. MILLS, Asst. Genl Supt 



88 



The Confession of Oodaitkoor, daughter of Assairam, caste 
Brahmin, resident of Burrairee, in the Gwalior states, age twen- 
ty years, taken in my presence, on the 16th August, 1838. 

Q. What is your real name ? 

A. Oodaitkoor, which I have never changed. 

Q. How did you come to live with Sallga, a Thug ? 

A. About five years ago I lost my father, and in consequence 
of the distressed state of the country, I left my village in com- 
pany with my mother, brother, (two uncles) Nuthooa and Bug- 
wan, and two cousins Jumnar and Gunga, with the intention of 
proceeding to Hurdwar for Ganges water. 

On our arrival at Muttra, we met Gurreeb Dass and Sewa 
Dass, who prevailed on us to accompany them, and we all went 
to their encampment near Husseeagunge, where we found a 
large gang of Byragee Thugs assembled. We remained with 
them one night, and the following morning they took away my 
two uncles and my mother, leaving me with Jewan Dass 5 wife, 
whom they murdered, and after throwing their bodies into the 
river, returned and told me that my parents had gone to the 
Ganges, and directed me to be left in charge of Jewan Dass' 
wife. 

Q. Did you ever see your two cousins and brother after the 
murder of your parents ? 

A. I saw them once afterwards, and have since learnt that 
they were sold to a prostitute at Kurnaul. 

Q. How did you come to live with Sallga ? 

A. He adopted me as his wife after the murder of my pa- 
rents. 

Q. Have you ever accompanied Sallga on a Thuggee expe- 
dition since the murder of your parents ? 

A. Yes, after the murder of my parents, I accompanied the 
gang of Nursing Dass, alias Khema Jemadar, to Bhurtpore, 
where, after passing a couple of months, we came to Furruk- 
nuggur, where they inveigled seven travellers with eight chil- 



89 



dren, who after passing some days with them, were taken to 
the banks of the Jumna and murdered. 

(True Copy.) 

(Signed) C. E. MILLS, 

Asst. Genl. Supt. 



The Confession of Kaner Dass, son of Bhugwan Dass, caste 
Naek, taken in my presence. 

About six or seven months ago, I left, with my gang, on a 
Thuggee expedition with two travellers, one man and one wo- 
man, and their three children, whom I inveigled from Jowlee, 
and prevailed on them to accompany us to Kote, where, not 
finding a convenient place for their murder, we returned with 
them in a southerly direction, and sent two children of the tra- 
vellers in advance with a party of Thugs, while I and the re- 
mainder of the gang encamped with their parents in our sir- 
kee or tents, and murdered them during the night as well as 
one of their children about four months old, who was too young 
to dispose of ; the latter I strangled myself. 

We threw their bodies into a hole which I can point out, and 
sold their other two children to Pursa and Govinda, Brinjarras, 
for 50 rupees, which was divided amongst us, and I received 3 
rupees as my share. 

(True Copy.) 

(Signed) C. E. MILLS, 

Asst. Genl. Supt 



The first Confession of Hurree Sing, alias Seetal Dass, alias 
Sewram, son of Dyaram, taken in my presence, on the 22d Au- 
gust, 1838. 

In Sumbut, 1890, commonly called the Nubbeea sail, I went 

L 



so 



to borrow some money from the Zemindars of my village, and 
on my arrival at Seekree Futteepore, in the Agra district, I 
met an encampment of Brinjarras under a celebrated Jemadar, 
named Rajaram, who invited me to join his tanda or gang. I 
consented, and proceeded with them to Agra, on their promis- 
ing to insure me a livelihood, which they did, by murdering 
travellers and plundering their children. We then, forming a 
gang of six men and women, arrived at Agra, where Chuttee 
and Rambuksh, Brinjarras, inveigled a family consisting of one 
man, two women, four male children, and two females, who 
were prevailed on to return w 7 ith us in the direction of Bhurt- 
pore. 

We encamped at a small village on the banks of a tank, about 
ten coss from Bhurtpore, and in the evening, Moollooa, Brinjar- 
ra, prevailed on the travellers to sit down together, and told 
me to strangle one of them, as I could not find a more profit- 
able trade than learning the use of the Khalleepra or handker- 
chief, which I consented to, and operated on one of these tra- 
vellers, while Rambuksh and another man strangled the others, 
one of whom was a child in arms. We threw two of their bo- 
dies into a well, and the other down in the jungle. Their six 
children we took with us to Futteepore Seekree and sold them 
for 80 rupees, of which sum I received eight rupees as my 
share. 

Q. Can you point out the bodies of these travellers ? 
A. Yes, I can. 

Q. Was the body you threw down in the jungle, discovered 
by the local authorities ? 
A. Yes. 

Second Confession. 
On my return from my first expedition, I remained two days 
at my home, and then left in an easterly direction; on my arri- 
val at Nuggur, I fell in with a gang of Brinjarras, whom I un- 
derstood were in the habit of selling children, and on relating 



91 



that I had been on an expedition with Bhimmee Jemadar, they 
invited me to join them, and we all proceeded to Sirsagunge, 
in the Mynporee district. While encamped in a garden, a chu- 
mar, his wife, and two children came to our encampment, to whom 
we promised to give employment, and the following morning 
returned with them in the direction of Bhurtpore, and reached 
Kumair during the night. BeerbulL Jemadar remarked, we will 
disburse some sweetmeats, and gave the signal to the Lughar 
Dass, viz. ' Khalleepra feenk-lho,' and the two travellers were 
strangled by Beerbull Brinjarra. 

We carried their bodies a short distance off, and threw them 
into a well, and then returned with the children of the murder- 
ed people to the encampment of Beerbull Jemadar, and sold 
them for 70 rupees to some Gypsies, of which I received 10 
rupees and 4 annas as my share, and then went to the tan- 
da or encampment of Ram Sing Brinjarra. 

Third Confession. 

After the murder of the Chumar and his wife, I went with 
Ram Sing to Khoosallgurh in the Kurroulee district, and 
purchased two Chumar children of a man of the Megpunna 
caste, and afterwards inveigled a Chumar woman with her two 
children, whom we prevailed on to accompany us. Ram Sing 
wished to take them back to the place, where his gang was en- 
camped, which I would not consent to, knowing that they would 
claim a share of the plunder, and he then sent for his brother 
Guluba, who strangled the woman; we buried the body in the 
sand, but I cannot say if it will be now found. 

The two children we purchased at Khoosallgurh, I took home 
with me, and sold one of them for 60 rupees to Bhooree Kun~ 
jur ; the other unfortunately died. 

Fourth Confession. 
After the affair described in my last confession, I returned 
home, and after spending some days there, went on a visit to 



92 



my uncle Hurkishen Brinjarra, resident of Hindoowan, in the 
district of the Kurroulee chief, and from thence proceeded 
with the under-mentioned men; 

Rutna Goojur, 

Dooda, Brinjarra, 

Ghassee, ditto, 

to Kurroulee, where I inveigled a woman and her two children 
of the Jat caste, and Rutna and Ghassee won the confidence of 
two other women and their two children, whom we intended 
murdering, but Rutna and Ghassee prevailed on us to forego 
our intentions as they were very pretty, and adopted them as 
their wives, giving me and the other members of the gang six 
rupees as our share. 

Fifth Confession. 
I spent two months at home after returning from Kurroulee, 
and then left with five other Brinjarras, on a Thuggee expe- 
dition. On our arrival at Doolepore Bhurree, we encamped in 
a temple, and Dewula won the confidence of two women and 
their two children, who after passing the night with us, return- 
ed with us towards Agra, and put up at the village of Kurrou- 
lee, in the Agra district, where they were strangled by Dewula 
and Rutna, and after burning their bodies in the bed of n dry 
nullah, we returned home with the four children and sold 
them to Dhoomee Brinjarra for 5 rupees. 

Sixth Confession. 
After I returned from the last expedition I remained four 
months at my home, and then went and joined a party of Brin- 
jarras at Futteepore Seekree. After passing some days with 
them, we proceeded to Agra, and in crossing over the Jumna, 
inveigled a woman and her two children, and returned with 
them to the suraie, where we passed the night, and the follow- 
ing morning induced them to return with us towards Futtee- 
pore Seekree, and put up at the encampment of Munnoo Brin- 



93 



jarra. During the night we prevailed on the woman to leave 
the encampment, and on the signal c Huzzooree maup lho' be- 
ing given, she was strangled by Meena, and after burning her 
body, we took her two children to Futteepore Seekree and sold 
them for 15 rupees to some other Brinjarras. After remaining 
a few days with them, I returned on the Agra road with the 
same gang, and near that city we wpn the confidence of a tra- 
veller of the Aheer caste, and his child, whom we returned with, 
and passed a day with them at a village a short distance off. 
In the evening Moollooa Brinjarra said, Hurree Sing sit down 
and perform the pooja of Deean; on hearing which the whole 
of the gang sat down, and then Moollooa Brinjarra said to me, 
6 chillup-lhe,' which signifies, take hold of the hands ; c hum 
huzzooreea fenkeenghee,' I will throw the roomaul, which he 
did on my seizing the hands of the traveller. We then threw 
the body into the Jumna, and proceeded with the child to Fut- 
teepore Seekree, and after remaining a day or two there, went 
to Bhurtpore, where we sold her to a Brinjarra, named Khema, 
for 25 rupees, which was divided amongst us, after making the 
usual deductions, and yielded 3 rupees 12 annas to each Thug. 
After this affair I returned home. 



Seventh Confession. 
After remaining at home about six months, (or about one 
year and ten months ago,) I went to the house of Ram Sing, 
Brinjarra, at Sourah in the Agra district, and there found a gang 
of twenty or twenty-two Thugs assembled, and after offer- 
ing up propitiation to the Goddess Bhuwannee, and distribut- 
ing some sweetmeats in her name, we left on a Megpunna ex- 
pedition. On our arrival at Muddarkhur, * we separated in 
small parties, and I, with a gang of seven men returned towards 
Agra, and another seven men went in the direction of Furruck- 
abad, and a third gang in the direction of Beabah. I, with 
my gang, arrived at Agra, and there inveigled three travellers, 
one man and two women, with their six children, whom we per- 



94 



suaded to travel with us towards Muttra, and passed the night 
at a small village near that place, After dining with the travel- 
lers, Ram Sing remarked, 6 Khalleepra map lho,' to-morrow we 
w r ill perform the pooja of Deean, which being one of our signals 
for murdering travellers. 

The three stranglers or lughur dasses were, Ram Sing, at 
large, Bullah, (one name short.) We burnt the bodies of these 
travellers near the village of Kana, and took their children with 
us to Tonk, where we sold them to some Gypsies for 70 rupees; 
of which I received 7 rupees as my share and returned home. 

Q. What became of the gangs that separated from you ? 

A. They joined us again with three or four children, whose 
parents they had murdered, and sold them to a Gypsy at Tonk, 
who has a daughter called Dillara, and they are still with her. 
After this affair I returned home, and after remaining some time 
there, I joined the Byragee Thugs, and will relate the particu- 
lars of every murder I have committed w r ith them. 

Eighth Confession. 
After my return from the last expedition, I remained three 
or four months at my home, and then became acquainted w r ith 
Geean Dass, one of the Byragee Thugs in jail. After passing 
three or four months with him, I went home and perpetrated 
two murders with the Brinj arras, and plundered several chil- 
dren, one of whom, named Bhuwannee, and her two sisters, were 
received from the house of Roopla, Brinjarra, in jail. On hear- 
ing of my house being searched, I made my escape and w r ent 
to the house of Aundadoond Jemadar (in jail at Jowlee), who, 
after asking me a few questions, discovered I was an accom- 
plished Thug, and invited me to accompany his gang on an ex- 
pedition, which I did ; and on our arrival at Kumair we won 
the confidence of the following travellers, viz. two men and 
one woman of the Hindoo caste, whom we prevailed on to 
accompany us, on pretence of giving them sendee. They 
consented, and we continued our march in the Bhurtpore 



95 



direction ; near the village of Ukkheegurh, we halted two days, 
and on the third day, Lallee, wife of Aundadoond Jemadar, 
remarked that we had no Khalleepra-dall-ne-walla, or strang- 
le^ and sent me to call Geean Sing, which I did, and returned 
with him, who abused his wife for not using the Khalleepra 
herself. 

We all continued our journey with the travellers, and deput- 
ed a man to look out for a well, or chursara, in our language, 
and a convenient one was discovered about two coss distant, 
when Geean Dass gave the following signal, 6 huzzooreea raa- 
peangee,' and three travellers were strangled by 

Gobinda, at large, brother of Geean Dass, in jail. 

Geean Dass, in jail. 

Mohun Dass. 

After which Geean Dass said, ' Katkee-utto churseerree mea 
jog lao,' which signifies, remove the bodies and place them in 
the well, which order was obeyed. 

We returned with the three children to Jowlee, and sent a 
man to call Saija Brinjarra, who purchased one of them for 25 
rupees, and the two other were sold by Lalla, wife of Aunda- 
doond Jemadar to Pursa Brinjarra, of which I received 5 ru- 
pees as my share. 

Ninth Confession. 
After my return from the last expedition with the Byragee 
Thugs, I passed some time with Geean Dass, and about seven 
months ago proceeded with his gang on another expedition to- 
wards Muttra. On our arrival at Chuttree, we won the confi- 
dence of the following travellers, three women, and their five 
children, and returned with them in a westerly direction. We 
passed the day near the village of Budge ; in the evening Gee- 
an Dass, suggested continuing our journey, which we did, and 
after having gone about a coss, the travellers were induced to 
sit down, when Geean Dass gave the signal 6 huzzooreea map- 



96 



Iho,' and they were instantly strangled, as well as was one of 
their children, not being of a sufficient age to dispose of. 

We threw their bodies into a dry well, and then sent a man 
to call Saija Brinjarra, who bought the other children. 

Tenth Confession, 

After my return from my last expedition, I passed some days 
with Geean Dass, and then left with his gang on another expe- 
dition towards Bhurtpore, and on our arrival at Nuggur, we 
encamped in a temple, and sent Mohun Dass to look out for 
travellers, and he returned with one man, one woman, and their 
three children, whom we prevailed on to accompany us in an 
easterly direction, and passed the day near the village of Jona- 
tra, in the Bhurtpore district. During the night we awoke 
the two elderly travellers on pretence of going to perform our 
religious ceremonies, and induced them to kneel down for 
that purpose, when Geean Dass gave the signal, and they were 
instantly strangled. Two of their children began to lament the 
loss of their parents, and they were also strangled by Geean 
Dass (in jail), and Luchman. 

We threw three of the bodies into a dry well, west of the vil- 
lage of Jonatra, and the remains of one of the children into the 
jungle, which was discovered by the people of the village, and two 
Byragees were apprehended who did not belong to the gang ; 
we continued our march to a village near Deeg, and while en- 
camped there, inveigled two women with their five children and 
prevailed on them to return with us to Jowlee, which they did, 
and we brought them to the house of Aundadoond Jemadar 
at Jowlee. The following morning we induced them, to accom- 
pany us a short distance from Jowlee and murdered four of 
them on the road ; we threw their bodies into a well, and re- 
turned to Jowlee, where we sold the children to Saija Brinjar- 
ra. 

The men detailed in my last confession, were all present at 
this expedition. 



97 



Eleventh Confession. 
After my return from the last expedition now about four 
months ago, I proceeded with Geean Dass's gang again on a 
Megpunna expedition towards Deeg, and on our arrival there 
we inveigled into our company one male and one female tra- 
veller, with their children, whom we prevailed on to accompany 
us towards Ukheegurh, and encamped near a Syed's tomb. After 
passing the day with them, we persuaded them to join us in 
the pooja of Deean, and availed ourselves of the opportunity of 
murdering them. The stranglers or Lughardars were 
* Luchmun Dass, and 
Gobind Ram. 

We carried their bodies a short distance off, and threw them 
into a dry well which I can point out. 

The two children belonging to these travellers were given to 
Beerbull, Brinjarra, resident of Nuggur, for sixteen rupees, of 
w r hich I received one rupee as my share. 

The whole of the men detailed in my last expedition, were 
present at this, which was completed in two months. 

Twelfth Confession. 

I remained four days at home after my return from the last 
expedition, and purchased a woman and a child of Buldeawa, a 
son-in-law of Kheama Jemadar, who, with the father-in-law of 
Geean Dass, joined our gang, which consisted of the same men 
and women as those detailed in my last confession, and we all 
proceeded with the woman and child to a village near Kote, 
and the former was murdered on the road by Gobind Bam, son 
of Aundadoond. 

We threw the body into a dry well, which I can exhume, and 
returned with the child to Jowlee and sold her to Saija Brin- 
jarra. 

Thirteenth Confession. 
After my return from the murder of the woman whom I pur- 

M 



98 



chased of Goburdhun, a prisoner in jail, I remained some days 
at my home, and about three months ago left on another expe- 
dition, in company with the Byragee Thugs, and on our arrival 
at Seekree, in the Ulwar states, Mohun Dass won the confi- 
dence of two travellers, one male and one female, with their 
two children, and prevailed on them to accompany us. 

We left Seekree in their company, and strangled them about 
two coss from the place. The stranglers or Lughardasses were, 
Deponent and Mohun Dass. 

We threw their bodies dawn in the jungle, and they were af- 
terwards discovered by the Zemindar. 

What might have been the age of these two travellers ? 

A. The man was about forty years of age, and the woman 
about seventy, of the Hindoo caste. 

The children belonging to these travellers we sold to a bro- 
ther of Roopla, Brinjarra, in jail. 

Q. Did you inflict any wounds on the bodies of these tra- 
vellers ? 

A. We tore off their hands, and left all the clothes on their 
bodies. 

The Zemindars of the village of Seekree are of the Jat caste, 
and will be able to give every particulars of this murder. 

Fourteenth Confession. 

After the Sewnee affair, I remained a few days at my home, 
and then went to Deeg, where I met a gang of ten Thugs, and 
shortly afterwards we inveigled three travellers, one male and 
two females, with their two children, whom we prevailed on to 
return with us towards Jowlee, where a party of the Deeg 
Thugs proposed to accompany us, but they expressed their as- 
tonishment at hearing our intention of murdering travellers ; 
we gave them however 2 rupees 8 annas as their share, and 
proceeded with the travellers to a Chowkee near Gobindgurh, 
and there murdered them. 

We threw the body of the male traveller into a well, and 



99 



those of the two female travellers down in the jungle without 
extracting their clothes. 

I can point out the well in which the body was thrown, and 
the particulars of the others wall be learnt from the local au- 
thorities, 

The two children belonging to these travellers, were sold to 
Dooda and Munsa Brinj arras. 

Fifteenth Confession. 
After my return from the last expedition, I committed a mur- 
der in the house of Aundadoond Jemadar, who was appre- 
hended with several other Thugs by the Jowlee authorities, and 
I effected my escape, and immediately started on a Thuggee 
expedition towards Agra. Near Futteepore Seekree we met a 
female traveller and her child, and returned with them towards 
Gobindgurh, about two coss from which place she was murder- 
ed by Mootee Brinjarra. We threw her body down in the 
jungle and sold her child to the Gypsies for 5 rupees. 

Sixteenth Confession. 

After my return from the last expedition, or ten days pre- 
vious to my arrest, I went to Allum Bagh, in the Bhurtpore dis- 
trict, and was disappointed in finding only five Brinj arras, one 
of whom gave me a rupee for my food, which was to be adjust- 
ed the first murder we committed. 

We then all left for Goburdhun, and after passing some days 
there, succeeded in inveigling two women with their three 
children, whom we returned with towards Deeg, and Gopula, 
Brinjarra, murdered one of the women outside of the city of 
Goburdhun, and another woman who had preceded us, we 
overtook between Deeg and Gobindgurh and strangled her. 

The body of the woman murdered outside the city of Go- 
bindgurh was discovered by the police, having been thrown 
down in the jungle, as also was the one murdered between Deeg 
and that place. 

M 2 



100 



We returned with the three children to Allum Shah's Bagh, 
and sold one of them to Byroom Brinjarra at large, and two 
others to Bonah Brinjarra, nephew of Saija Brinjarra, of which 
I received 5 rupees as my share, after deducting the one rupee 
that was advanced to me. 

The following are the names of the Thugs concerned, Go- 
pula Brinjarra, resident of Allum Shah's Bagh, and three other 
men, whose names I am not acquainted with. After this af- 
fair, I went to the house of Sallga Brinjarra, and was arrested 
with him. 

Miscellaneous. 

The Confession of Hurree Singh, alias Seetal Dass, son of 
Dyaram, resident of Luchmungurh, in the Ulwar district, taken 
in my presence, on the 18th August, 1838. 

Q. Relate the particulars of the murder perpetrated in the 
house of Aundadoond Jemadar. 

A. I left my home at Luchmungurh and came to the house 
of Geean Dass, who prevailed on me to stay with him, as he 
had a gang of 40 Thugs. About two months and a half ago I re- 
turned to Luchmungurh, for the purpose of inveigling travellers, 
and I succeeded in winning the confidence of a man of the 
Chumar caste, and his sister about 15 years old, whom I pre- 
vailed on to accompany me to Jowlee, and brought them to 
the house of Aundadoond Jemadar, where they remained two 
days, when Sallga, a nephew of Kheama Jemadar, came to the 
house and said, he wanted some assistance in putting a chupper 
on his house ; on hearing this, Kaner Dass, Likma, in jail, and 
others jumped up and endeavoured to persuade the Chumar 
traveller to accompany us, but he appeared aware of our inten- 
tions and went to the place where his sister w T as sleeping ; we 
however followed him and murdered him outside the door, 
and deposited his body for the night in the house of Salig 
Bam, and took it with the body of the woman to a well west of 
the village of Gungoulee, in the Bhurtpore states, where there 



101 



are several peepul trees, and threw it in. The sister of the 
Chumar was sold to Baldeawa, a son-in-law of Khema Jemadar, 
who parted with her again, and she effected her escape and re- 
lated the particulars of the murder of her brother to the Tha- 
koor of the village of Jowlee, who apprehended the following 
men : 

Aundadoond Jemadar, in jail, 
Jeewun Dass, ditto, 
Ghota Dass, 
Heera Dass, 
Banee Dass. 

They were kept in confinement fifteen days and then released 
on the security of Roopa, a liquor seller of Jowlee. The Thakoor 
of the village sent the Chumar girl back to her parents. 

Q. You have alluded to the murder of a Brahmin woman in 
your deposition ; relate the particulars of this. 

A. Some days previous to the murder of the Chumar, Mo- 
hun Dass brought a woman of the Brahmin caste with her 
three children, to the house of Aundadoond Jemadar, where 
she remained six days, and was then taken to the house of 
Ulkha prisoner, where the female Thugs were directed to per- 
form their religious ceremonies, and the Brahmin woman's at- 
tention being attracted by the singing, Jowahir Dass threw the 
roomaul and instantly strangled her. 

Geean Dass, son of Aundadoond Jemadar, took one of the 
children, about eight years old, and Mohun Dass, disciple of 
Geean Dass, another, about four years old, and the third about 
a year and a half old, was given to Dowlut Jat, resident of 
Nugla, in the Bhurtpore states. Geean Dass afterwards gave 
his child to Roopa Kular, who afterwards returned it. 

Q. Can you disinter the bodies of these victims ? 

A. Yes, I can. 

Q. What share did Roopa Kular get of this plunder ? 
A. Five rupees. 



102 



The Confession of Hurree Sing, alias Seetul Dass, son of 
Dyaram, resident of Luchmungurh, by profession a Thug, tak- 
en in my presence on the — August, 1838. 

Q. You have been apprehended for murdering the parents 
of Bhuwannee ; what have you to state in defence of this charge? 

A. Yes, I murdered them. The particulars are as follows : 
I, in company with Munsa and Doonda, two brothers of the 
Brinjarra caste, Luchmee, wife of Doonda, Runjeeta, nephew of 
Luchmee, and Dusundeea, left our homes on a Thuggee expe- 
dition, and at the seraie of Khundoulee, in the Agra district, 
met Bhuwannee, and gave her some food, after which she went 
and brought her mother and three brothers, one a young man 
about fifteen years of age, and two others about seven or eight 
years of age, whom w T e prevailed on to return with us in a 
westerly direction, and encamped with them at a village near 
the banks of the Jumna. In the evening it was proposed to ad- 
minister some poison to Bhuwannee's mother and elder brother, 
which I did, and they were afterwards strangled. I strangled 
the mother of Bhuwannee, and Munsa, the young man. 

We threw their bodies into a well, and proceeded with Bhu- 
wannee and her two brothers to Luchmungurh, where I receiv- 
ed 7 rupees 8 annas as my share of the plunder from Munsa 
and Doonda, and the former gave Bhuwannee to Roopla his 
brother, and I persuaded him not to have connection with her 
for some time, but he took her home with him and violated 
her person that night. 

The following morning she made her escape from his house, 
and related the particulars of the murder of her parents to a 
sepoy of the Ulwar chief; on hearing which I, Munsa, and 
Doonda, effected our escape. 

Q. Where did you get the child that was found in your 
house when it was searched ? 
A. I bought her. 

The following are the names of Thugs concerned : 
Munsa, age 60. 



103 



Doonda, age 30. 
Luchmee, wife of Doonda. 
Runjeeta, nephew of Luchmee. 
Dusundeea. 

Q. Were Dyaram, your father, and Roopla, prisoners under 
trial, concerned in this murder ? 

A. No, but Surroopee, wife of Bulla Brinjarra, and Roopee, 
wife of Ullee Brinjarra, were present. 

Q. Was your wife concerned with you in this murder, and 
how were Bhuwannee and her two brothers received. 

A. They were received from the house of Roopla Brinjarra, 
and my wife has never been present with me at any murder. 

Remarks. 

This case is fully proved by the proceedings held by the Ul- 
war chief ; I therefore shall make arrangements for the arrest of 
the whole gang, and send for Bhuwannee and her two brothers 
to recognize the defendants. 

(True Translation.) 

(Signed) C. E. MILLS. 



The Confession of Saligram, alias Byroom, caste originally 
Brinjarra, taken in my presence on the 7th September, 1838. 

Q. From whom did you learn the system of Thuggee ? 

A. I learned it from Kheama Jemadar, in Sumbut 1890,, 
since which I have gained a livelihood by murdering travellers, 
and selling their children. 

About five or six years ago, in the Sumbut of Nubbeed, I left 
my home in consequence of the distressed state of the country, 
and went to Karr in the Muttra district, where Kheama Je- 
madar was residing, who made me one of his disciples, and I 
accordingly adopted the disguise of a Byragee, and some time 
afterwards I went on an expedition with the gangs of Gurreeb 
Dass and Salig Dass to Muttra, where they inveigled two tra- 



104 



vellers, one male and one female, with their two children, 
whom they brought to our encampment. 

The following day we took them with us to Sherghur, on the 
banks of the Jumna, and strangled the two grown up travellers. 
We threw their bodies into the river, and the following morn- 
ing continued our journey with their children, who w r ere dis- 
posed of by Khurga and Bhimma, Brinjarras, and I received 8 
annas as my share of the proceeds. On my return home, Khea- 
ma Jemadar proposed to instruct me in the art of using the 
Khalleepra, or handkerchief, which I became expert at, and 
have since always had the duties of Lughar Dass, or strangle!*, 
assigned to me. 

Second Confession. 
About five or six months ago, I left my home at Golundgurh, 
with a gang of ten or twelve men, on a Thuggee expedition, and 
went to Goburdhun, where Kheama Dass, Gunga, wife of Da- 
vee Dass, and Davee Dass, prisoners in jail, won the confidence 
of a female traveller and her child, whom they brought to our 
sirkee or tents. 

The next day we prevailed on them to accompany us, and 
reached Seekree in three days, and that evening the woman 
was strangled by Kaner Dass, while I assisted him by holding 
her feet. 

We burnt the body that night, and her child was purchased 
by Gurreeb Dass from Davee Dass for 10 rupees, who after- 
wards sold her to Saijoo Brinjarra, of Raepore. 

Remarks. 

This case may be proved, as Kheama Jemadar says, he can 
point out the child, whom his nephew sold to Saijoo Brinjarra. 

The depositions of Davee Dass, his wife, and Kaner Dass, 
must be taken in this case. 

Third Confession. 
About a year ago, I left my house, with the gang of Balluck 



105 



Dass on a Thuggee expedition. We crossed the Jumna at 
Husseeagunge, and encamped on the banks near Bindrabund, 
and Gurreeb Dass went to the city of Muttra, and inveigled two 
travellers, one male and one female, with their three children, 
on pretence of giving them employment, and brought them 
with him to our sirkee or tents. 

The following morning we recrossed the Jumna, and en- 
camped on the banks, and that night the two travellers were 
strangled by Gurreeb Dass and Phoosa. 

Their bodies were thrown into the river, and we took their 
children with us to a village in the Muttra district, and they 
were afterwards taken away by Munsa Brinjarra, at the valua- 
tion of 80 rupees, who has never paid the money to this day. 
We got a bullock from these travellers, which was given to the 
Sumdee of Kheama Jemadar, whose son was betrothed to his 
daughter. 

Continuation of the Confession of Saligram, alias Byroom. 

After my return from this expedition, I remained some time 
at home, and then proceeded with a gang of fifteen or twenty 
men and women towards Muttra* At the city of Buledean, we put 
up at a Bunneea's shop, and my wife and Gunga Dass, went to 
look out for travellers, who returned shortly afterwards with a 
poor woman and her child, whom we persuaded to accompany 
us towards Deeg, which we reached in three or four days, and 
I strangled the woman in our sirkee or tents, on the evening 
of our arrival. We burnt the body of the woman, and sold her 
child to Bhoopa Brinjarra, for 12 rupees, afterwards we all re- 
turned home. 

(True Translation.) 

(Signed) C. E. MILLS. 

(True Copies,) 

W. H. SLEEMAN, 

Genl Supt 

N 



106 



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